Castle Dome, a popular trail destination at Castle Crags (left foreground). Mount Shasta can also be seen (distant right).

Castle Crags represents a small but prominent feature of the Klamath Mountains in northwestern California. Although the Klamath Mountains largely consist of rocks of volcanic and sedimentary origin, granite bodies (plutons) intruded many parts of the area during the Jurassic period. Heavy glaciation at this location during the Pleistocene eroded much of the softer surrounding rock leaving the towering crags and spires exposed, from which the Castle Crags pluton derives its name. Hanging glaciers also resulted in exfoliation of huge, convex slabs of granite yielding rounded forms such as Castle Dome. Elevations range from 2000 feet along the Sacramento River near the base of the crags to over 6500 feet at the summit of the tallest crag. Image File history File links The image shows, in the foreground, a rocky outcrop in the Klamath mountain range in northern California, USA known as Castle Crags. ... Image File history File links The image shows, in the foreground, a rocky outcrop in the Klamath mountain range in northern California, USA known as Castle Crags. ... The Klamath Mountains are a mountain range in northwest California and southwest Oregon, the highest peaks being Mount Eddy (2744m / 9002) in Trinity County, California, and Mount Ashland (2296m / 7533) in Jackson County, Oregon. ... Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Area  - Total   - Width   - Length    - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 3rd 158,302 sq mi  410,000 km² 250 miles  400 km 770 miles  1,240 km 4. ... The Klamath Mountains are a mountain range in northwest California and southwest Oregon, the highest peaks being Mount Eddy (2744m / 9002) in Trinity County, California, and Mount Ashland (2296m / 7533) in Jackson County, Oregon. ... This article is about volcanoes in geology. ... Two types of sedimentary rock: limey shale overlaid by limestone. ... Quarrying granite for the Mormon Temple, Utah Territory. ... Pluton redirects here. ... The Jurassic period is a major unit of the geologic timescale that extends from about 200 Ma (million years ago) at the end of the Triassic to 146 Ma at the beginning of the Cretaceous. ... The Pleistocene epoch (pronounced like ply-stow-seen) is part of the geologic timescale. ... The Abbey Craig, a crag with tail near The University of Stirling. ... Aletsch glacier, Switzerland A glacier is a large, long-lasting river of ice that is formed on land and moves in response to gravity. ... Geological exfoliation of granite at Enchanted Rock State Natural Area, Texas, USA Exfoliation in geology is a weathering process, mainly caused by freeze-thaw cycles. ... Quarrying granite for the Mormon Temple, Utah Territory. ... A spring at the Sacramento River headwater The Sacramento River is the longest river in the state of California. ...

Strained relationships between 1850's gold rush miners and the local native Indian populations resulted in the 1855 Battle of Castle Crags and marked the beginning of the long and drawn-out Modoc War. Exploitation of the land by lumber and mining operations encouraged concerned citizens in 1933 to acquire much of the land, which would eventually become Castle Crags State Park. The California Gold Rush was a period in American history marked by great world-wide interest concerning a gold discovery in Northern California. ... 1855 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... The Modoc War, or Modoc Campaign (also known as the Lava Beds War), was an armed conflict between the Native American Modoc tribe and the United States Army in southern Oregon and northern California from 1872–1873 . ... The El Chino Mine located near Silver City, New Mexico is an open-pit copper mine This article is about mineral extraction. ... 1933 (MCMXXXIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... Castle Crags State Park is a state park in California that is located on a stretch of the Sacramento River. ...

Located west of Interstate 5, between the towns of Castella and Dunsmuir, Castle Crags is a popular tourist stop along the highway. Interstate 5 (abbreviated I-5) is the westernmost interstate highway in the United States. ... Dunsmuir is a city located in Siskiyou County, California. ...

References

• Aune, Quintin A., 1970, A Trip to Castle Crags: Mineral Information Service, Vol. 23, pp. 139-144.
• Miller, Joaquin 1837-1913. The Battle of Castle Crags. In: Rosenus, Alan. Selected Writings of Joaquin Miller. No place: Urion Press, 1977.

External links

• Forest Service Website
• California State Parks
• Castle Crags Virtual Tour