Mount Diablo
Mt. Diablo's North Peak
Elevation	3,849 feet (1,173 metres)
Location	California, United States
Range	Diablo Range
Prominence	3,109 ft (947 m)
Coordinates	37°52′54″N, 121°54′50″W
Topo map	USGS Clayton
Type	Sedimentary
Age of rock	Cretaceous, Jurassic
Easiest route	road

Download high resolution version (1632x1232, 666 KB)Mount Diablos North Peak. ... A topographical summit is a point on a surface which is higher in elevation than all points immediately adjacent to it. ... Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Area  Ranked 3rd  - Total 158,302 sq mi (410,000 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 770 miles (1,240 km)  - % water 4. ... A mountain range is a group of mountains bordered by lowlands or separated from other mountain ranges by passes or rivers. ... The Diablo Range is a large group of mountain chains and ranges in western California. ... In topography, prominence, also known as autonomous height, relative height, shoulder drop or prime factor (in Europe), is a concept used in the categorization of hills and mountains. ... Map of Earth showing lines of latitude (horizontally) and longitude (vertically), Eckert VI projection; large version (pdf, 1. ... It has been suggested that Topographic profile be merged into this article or section. ... The United States Geological Survey (USGS) is a scientific agency of the United States government. ... Mountains can be characterized in several ways. ... // The geological time scale is used by geologists and other scientists to describe the timing and relationships between events that have occurred during the History of Earth. ... The Cretaceous period is one of the major divisions of the geologic timescale, reaching from the end of the Jurassic period, about 146 million years ago (Ma), to the beginning of the Paleocene epoch of the Tertiary period (65. ... 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. ... Southern and northern Mount Everest climbing routes as seen from the International Space Station. ...

Coordinates: 37°52′54″N, 121°54′50″W Mount Diablo State Park is a state park in Contra Costa County, California in the San Francisco Bay Area, located south of the town of Clayton and northeast of Danville. The park is approximately 20,000 acres (80 km²) in area and includes as its centerpiece Mount Diablo, an isolated 3,849-foot (1,173 m) upthrust peak that is visible from most of the San Francisco Bay Area and much of northern California. Map of Earth showing lines of latitude (horizontally) and longitude (vertically), Eckert VI projection; large version (pdf, 1. ... State park is a term used in the United States and in Mexico for an area of land preserved on account of its natural beauty, historic interest, recreation, or other reason, and under the administration of the government of a U.S. state or one of the states of Mexico. ... Official website: http://www. ... USGS Satellite photo of the San Francisco Bay Area. ... Clayton is a city located in Contra Costa County, California. ... Danville is a town located in a part of Contra Costa County, California called the San Ramon Valley, United States. ...

The park was the first public open space of a complex now including twenty-nine preserves including adjacent and nearby city open spaces, regional parks, watersheds, etc., buffered in some areas with private lands protected with conservation easements. Preserved lands on and around Mt. Diablo total more than 89,000 acres (360 km²).

The park is popular in winter, when Bay Area residents can enjoy the rare experience of snowfall on the mountain. Snow occurs from the lower reaches of the park all the way to the peak, as was the case in February of 2001 and February and March of 2006. On Friday, March 10, 2006, an extremely cold storm moved into the region from the Gulf of Alaska, and noticeable amounts of snow fell in all regions of the Bay Area above 500 ft. The summit of the mountain received a foot of snow at its peak, and the access roads were closed to automobiles at the 3,000 ft. mark due to the hazardous winter conditions above. March 10 is the 69th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (70th in leap years). ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Geography

View of the bay and Mount Diablo from Windy Hill

The summit of Mount Diablo itself is accessible by motor vehicle, hiking, running, or bicycle (the record time from The Athenian School in the town of Diablo to the summit is under 45 minutes; casual bicycle riders should bring plenty of food and water). Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (2272x1704, 1372 KB)[edit] Licensing I, the creator of this work, hereby grant the permission to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (2272x1704, 1372 KB)[edit] Licensing I, the creator of this work, hereby grant the permission to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1. ... Summit of Windy Hill from the Hamm Gulch Trail Windy Hill Open Space Preserve is a regional park located in San Mateo County, California and operated by the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District (MROSD). ... The Athenian School is a college preparatory school located in Danville, California. ... Diablo is a census-designated place located in Contra Costa County, California. ...

On a clear day, it is possible to view the mountains of the Sierra Nevada and the southernmost mountain of the volcanic Cascade Range, Mount Lassen over 180 miles away. Owing to the earth's curvature it is not possible to see the larger Mount Shasta, although Half Dome in Yosemite National Park, about 125 miles to the east, can be viewed with a telescope when the atmosphere is exceptionally clear. The Sierra Nevada is a mountain range that is almost entirely in eastern California. ... For other meanings, see Eruption (disambiguation). ... Mount Adams in Washington The Cascade Range is a mountainous region famous for its chain of tall volcanoes called the High Cascades that run north-south along the west coast of North America from British Columbia through Washington and Oregon to the Shasta Cascade area of northern California. ... Lassen Peak, in Shasta County, California USA, is the largest plug dome volcano in the world and is the southernmost volcano in the Cascade Range. ... Mount Shasta, a 14,162-foot (4,322 m) stratovolcano, is the second-highest peak in the Cascade Range and the seventh-highest peak in California. ... Half Dome is a granite dome at the eastern end of Yosemite Valley, possibly the Valleys most familiar sight. ... Yosemite redirects here. ...

The best views can be found the day after a winter storm, but during the summer visibility can be somewhat hazy. From Stockton, on a clear day, and from many other places similarly distant, Mt. Diablo and its range can be seen along with the Sierra Nevada on the eastern horizon. Approximately a mile northeast of the summit is North Peak at 3,557 feet (1,084 m). City nickname: Californias Sunrise Seaport County: San Joaquin Area code: 209 ZIP code: 952xx Area:  - Total  - Water 144. ... The Sierra Nevada is a mountain range that is almost entirely in eastern California. ...

View of Mt. Diablo from Dinosaur Hill Park above the city of Pleasant Hill

View of Mount Diablo. ... View of Mt. ... Pleasant Hill is a city located in Contra Costa County, California, in the East Bay of the San Francisco Bay Area. ...

Claims about viewable area

According to a sign at the summit, it is possible to view the second greatest surface area seen from any peak in the world, exceeded only by the 19,340 foot (5,895 m) Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa. This myth was promulgated by early real estate promoter Robert Noble Burgess, who built the first auto roads to Diablo's summit, as a draw to his Mt. Diablo Estates project, c. 1914-1917. The Mt. Kilimanjaro qualifier was first added in the 1928 Standard Oil Bulletin, which described the new Standard Diablo (SD) Tower. Kilimanjaro (formerly Kaiser-Wilhelm-Spitze) is a mountain in northeastern Tanzania. ... For other uses, see Africa (disambiguation). ...

The lack of surrounding peaks does indeed give the intimidating mountain an immense view. However, Diablo's relatively low height and the curvature of the earth limit the visible horizon over the sea and surrounding plains to approximately 78 miles (125 km). Beyond that, only ridges are visible and then only on their appropriately facing sides. Many higher peaks around the world offer greater general viewing distances over seas and flat plains.

One calculation shows that the viewshed from Mount McKinley (Denali) in Alaska is about three times greater. Nor is it plausible that more viewable area can be seen from the Diablo summit than any other peak in the lower 48 states. The viewshed east from Colorado summits (e.g. Pike's Peak) over the Great Plains is much greater. See the panorama external link at the foot of this page. Denali redirects here. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

Cultural history

Mount Diablo is sacred to many California Native American peoples; according to Miwok mythology, it was the point of creation. An Aani (Atsina) named Assiniboin Boy. ... Miwok—also spelled Miwuk or Me-Wuk—refers to native Californians who lived in what is now Northern California. ...

The conventional view is that the peak derives its name from the 1805 escape of several Chupcan Native Americans from the Spanish in a nearby willow thicket. The Spanish thus gave the thicket the name "Monte del Diablo", meaning "thicket of the devil", which was later applied to Don Salvio Pacheco's Rancho Monte del Diablo, the present-day site of the city of Concord. The name's origin was misinterpreted by English-speaking newcomers to refer to the mountain rather than the thicket.^[1]

In 1851 the peak of the mountain was selected by Colonel Leander Ransom as the initial point — where the Mt Diablo Base and Meridian lines intersect — for cadastral surveys of a large area. Subsequent surveys in much of California, Nevada and Oregon were located with reference to this point. Toll roads up the mountain were created in 1874 by local hoteliers, and an aerial navigation beacon was erected at the summit in 1928. 1851 (MDCCCLI) was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Friday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar). ... Cadastral is a term used in surveying and public administration, and refers to the division of land into units for surveying, taxation or administrative purposes. ... Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Area  Ranked 3rd  - Total 158,302 sq mi (410,000 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 770 miles (1,240 km)  - % water 4. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... Official language(s) None Capital Salem Largest city Portland Area  Ranked 9th  - Total 98,466 sq mi (255,026 km²)  - Width 260 miles (420 km)  - Length 360 miles (580 km)  - % water 2. ... A high-speed toll booth on SR 417 near Orlando, Florida A toll gate on the Sayama bypass (Saitama prefectural road 397) in Japan A toll gate on the Dom Pedro I Highway near the city of Itatiba, Brazil A New Jersey Turnpike Toll Gate for Exit 8A in Monroe... 1874 (MDCCCLXXIV) was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... Table of geography, hydrography, and navigation, from the 1728 Cyclopaedia. ... 1928 (MCMXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ...

After initial legislation in 1921, the state of California acquired enough land in 1931 to create a small state park around the peak. Many improvements were carried out in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps but park expansion slowed in the 1940s, '50s and '60s. Significantly, botanist Mary Leolin Bowerman (1908-2005) published her Ph.D in 1936 at U.C. Berkeley and then in 1944 the book, The Flowering Plants and Ferns of Mount Diablo, California. Her study boundaries became the basis for the state park's first map and for the park's eventual expansion, as well as the origin of many of the park's place names. 1921 (MCMXXI) was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Civilian Conservation Corps workers restoring the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal. ...

This initial park has been greatly expanded over the years. Soon after Earth Day, in 1971 the nonprofit organization Save Mount Diablo was created by co-founders Bowerman and Art Bonwell, barely ahead of real estate developers. At the time the State Park included just 6,788 acres and was the only park in the vicinity of the mountain. In 2006 the State Park totals almost 20,000 acres and with 28 other parks and preserves created nearby, Diablo's public lands total more than 89,000 acres. Now, the State Park in many places on its western side adjoins parklands of the East Bay Regional Park District, in turn adjoining protected areas owned or controlled by local cities such as the Borges Ranch Historic Farm and nearby Shell Ridge Open Space and Indian Valley, owned by the city of Walnut Creek. State park expansion continues on the northern and eastern sides of the mountain. The East Bay Regional Park District (EBRPD) is a public authority operating in Alameda County and Contra Costa County, California, within the East Bay area of the San Francisco Bay Area. ... Looking east across Walnut Creek. ...

In 2005, a man from the neighboring town of Oakley, petitioned the federal government to change the name of the mountain (Contra Costa Times, Oct. 14 2005, "Board Decides Mount Diablo Will Keep Name"), claiming it offended his Christian beliefs (despite the fact that the mountain was named by Christian settlers). He initially suggested renaming the mountain Mt. Kawukum, and later, Mt. Yahweh. Other renaming suggestions by other individuals included Mount Miwok and Mount Ohlone, after local Indian tribal names. Eventually, the U.S. Board on Geographic Names rejected the petitions, saying there was no compelling reason to change the name. Oakley is a city located in Contra Costa County, California. ... Yahweh1 (ya·we) in the Bible, the God of Israel. ... Miwok—also spelled Miwuk or Me-Wuk—refers to native Californians who lived in what is now Northern California. ... Map of the Costanoan languages The Ohlone (formerly Costanoan) are an ethnic group whose members lived in what is now the San Francisco Bay Area and Monterey Bay areas of California until after the European discovery and settling of this area. ... The United States Board on Geographic Names (BGN) is a US Federal body whose purpose is to establish and maintain uniform usage of geographic names throughout the Federal Government. ...

Information from the Mount Diablo Interpretative Association (http://www.mdia.org) suggests that Kawukum, rather than representing an original Indian name for the mountain, may instead have originated in an early 20th century land developer's gimmick. However, other Indian names for the mountain may exist, including Tuyshtak (Ohlone/Costanoan), 'Oj-ompil-e (Northern Miwok), Supemenenu (Southern Miwok), and Sukku Jaman (Nisenan/Southern Maidu). Map of the Costanoan languages The Ohlone (formerly Costanoan) are an ethnic group whose members lived in what is now the San Francisco Bay Area and Monterey Bay areas of California until after the European discovery and settling of this area. ... Miwok—also spelled Miwuk or Me-Wuk—refers to native Californians who lived in what is now Northern California. ... The Maidu are a group of Native Americans who lived in Northern California. ... The Maidu are a group of Native Americans who lived in Northern California. ...

Additional information on prior names for Mount Diablo is found at the organization Save Mount Diablo (http://www.savemountdiablo.org/AboutMountDiablo.htm): "About 25 independent tribal groups with well-defined territories lived in the surrounding East Bay countryside. Their members spoke dialects of three distinct languages: Ohlone, Bay Miwok, and Northern Valley Yokuts... Most of Mount Diablo, including its peak, was within the homeland of the early Volvon, a Bay Miwok-speaking group, and as early as 1811, the mountain was called [in Spanish] Cerro Alto de los Bolbones (High Point of the Volvon)... Chochenko (Ohlone) speakers from the Mission San Jose area called the mountain Tuyshtak, meaning 'at the day'. The Nisenan of the Sacramento Valley called it Sukkú jaman, or as Nisenan elder Dalbert Castro once explained, 'the place where dogs came from in trade'." Map of the Costanoan languages The Ohlone (formerly Costanoan) are an ethnic group whose members lived in what is now the San Francisco Bay Area and Monterey Bay areas of California until after the European discovery and settling of this area. ... Miwok—also spelled Miwuk or Me-Wuk—refers to native Californians who lived in what is now Northern California. ... The Yokuts were an ethnic group of Native Americans that lived in California. ... Map of the Costanoan languages The Ohlone (formerly Costanoan) are an ethnic group whose members lived in what is now the San Francisco Bay Area and Monterey Bay areas of California until after the European discovery and settling of this area. ...

Many local groups associated with the mountain use the Ohlone name Tuyshtak (translation "at the day") as an alternative name for Mount Diablo. Although less frequently used, the Miwok name 'Oj-ompil-e (or Ojompile, pronounced OJ-om-PEE-lay [?], translation "??") would perhaps be the most fitting renaming option, as available evidence suggests that the Volvon tribal group, likely speaking a dialect of the Miwok language group, was the group most closely associated with the mountain peak. However, formally renaming the mountain to an original Indian name appears currently unlikely.

Natural history

Geology

View SW across the park from near the summit of Mt. Diablo

The mountain is the result of geologic compression and uplift caused by the movements of the earth's plates. The mountain lies between converging earthquake faults and continues to grow slowly. While the principal faults in the region are of the slip-strike type, a significant thrust fault (with no surface trace) is found on the mountain's southwest flank. The uplift and subsequent weathering and erosion have exposed ancient oceanic Jurassic and Cretaceous age rocks that now form the summit. The mountain grows from 3 to 5 mm each year. View across Mount Diablo State Park, California Photograph taken by Stephen Lea, 10th January 2004. ... View across Mount Diablo State Park, California Photograph taken by Stephen Lea, 10th January 2004. ... Bridge across the Álfagjá rift valley in southwest Iceland, the boundary of the Eurasian and North American continental tectonic plates. ... An earthquake is a phenomenon that results from and is powered by the sudden release of stored energy that radiates seismic waves. ... 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 Cretaceous period is one of the major divisions of the geologic timescale, reaching from the end of the Jurassic period, about 146 million years ago (Ma), to the beginning of the Paleocene epoch of the Tertiary period (65. ...

Mt. Diablo is a double pyramid and resembles but is not a volcano. Here is a summary of its geology by local resident Cleet Carlton: Mt. Diablo is a geologic anomaly located approximately 30 miles east of San Francisco. The upper portion of the Mountain is made up of volcanic and sedimentary deposits of what once was one or more Island Arcs of the Pacific Plate dating back to the Jurassic and Cretaceous Periods, between 190 and 90 Million Years ago. During this time, the Pacific Plate was subducting beneath the North American Continent and these deposits were scraped off the top and accreted onto the North American Plate. This resulted in the highly distorted and fractured Basalt and Serpentine of the Mt. Diablo Ophiolite and Metasediments of the Franciscan Complex around the summit. East of the subduction zone, a basin was filling with sediment from the ancestral Sierra further to the east. Up to 60,000 feet (18,000 meters) of Sandstone, Mudstone, and Limestone of the Great Valley Sequence were deposited from 150 to 66 Million Years ago. These deposits are now found faulted against the Ophiolite and Franciscan deposits. Over the past 20 Million Years, continental deposits have been periodically laid down and subsequently jostled around by the newly-formed San Andreas Fault system, forming the Coast Ranges. Within the last 4 Million Years, local faulting has resulted in compression, folding, buckling, and erosion, bringing the various formations into their current juxtaposition. This faulting action is ongoing and will continue to change shape of Mt. Diablo, along with the rest of the Coast Ranges.

The summit area of Mt. Diablo is made up of deposits of gray sandstone (graywacke), chert, oceanic volcanic basalts (greenstone) and a minor amount of shale. The hard red Franciscan chert is sedimentary in origin and rich in microscopic radiolaria fossils. In the western foothills of the mountain there are large deposits of younger sandstone rocks rich in seashells, severely tilted and in places forming dramatic ridgelines. Red sandstone interior of Lower Antelope Canyon, Arizona, worn smooth due to erosion by flash flooding over millions of years Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-size mineral or rock grains. ... Chert Chert is a fine-grained silica-rich cryptocrystalline sedimentary rock that may contain small fossils. ... Basalt Basalt is an extrusive igneous rock, sometimes porphyritic, and is often both fine-grained and dense. ... Shale Shale is a fine-grained sedimentary rock whose original constituents were clays or muds. ... Two types of sedimentary rock: limey shale overlaid by limestone. ... Possible classes Polycystinea Acantharea Taxopodea Radiolaria are amoeboid protozoa that produce intricate mineral skeletons, typically with a central capsule dividing the cell into inner and outer portions, called endoplasm and ectoplasm. ... An ammonite fossil Fossils (from Latin fossus, literally having been dug up) are the mineralized or otherwise preserved remains or traces (such as footprints) of animals, plants, and other organisms. ...

There are deposits of glassmaking-grade sand and lower-quality coal to the north of the mountain, which were formerly mined in the 1800s and early 1900s, but are now open to visitors as the Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve. Guided tours of sand and coal mines are provided here. Coal Coal is a fossil fuel extracted from the ground by underground mining or open-pit mining (surface mining). ... 1800 (MDCCC) was an exceptional common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... 1900 (MCM) was an exceptional common year starting on Monday. ...

As seen from a plane, in the backround

Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (2304x1728, 929 KB) Summary i allow wikipedia to use this pic that i took Licensing I, the creator of this work, hereby grant the permission to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (2304x1728, 929 KB) Summary i allow wikipedia to use this pic that i took Licensing I, the creator of this work, hereby grant the permission to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation...

Vegetation

The park's vegetation is mixed oak woodland and savannah and open grassland with extensive areas of chaparral and a number of endemic plant species, such as the Mt. Diablo manzanita (Arctostaphylos auriculata), Mt. Diablo globe lily (Calochortus pulcellus) and Diablo sunflower (Helianthella castanea). The park includes substantial thickets, isolated examples, and mixed ground cover of western poison-oak. It is best to learn to the characteristics of this shrub and its toxin before hiking on narrow trails through brush and to be aware that it can be bare of leaves (but toxic to contact) in the winter. Species See List of Quercus species The term oak can be used as part of the common name of any of several hundred species of trees and shrubs in the genus Quercus, and some related genera, notably Cyclobalanopsis and Lithocarpus. ... Chaparral is a shrubland biome found primarily in California, USA, that is shaped by a Mediterranean climate (mild, wet winters and hot dry summers) and wildfire. ... In biology and ecology endemic means exclusively native to a place or biota, in contrast to cosmopolitan or introduced. ... Binomial name Toxicodendron diversilobum (Torr. ...

At higher altitudes there are stands of Knobcone pine, Foothill pine, and Coulter pine (for which the park and nearby Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve mark the northern extreme of the range). Binomial name Pinus attenuata The Knobcone Pine (Pinus attenuata) is a tree that grows in mild climates on poor soils. ... Binomial name Pinus sabineana The Gray Pine (Pinus sabineana) is a pine endemic to California in the United States. ... Binomial name Pinus coulteri D. Don The Coulter Pine or Big-cone Pine (Pinus coulteri) is a native of the coastal mountains of southern California (United States) and northern Baja California (Mexico). ...

In 2005, the Mount Diablo buckwheat (Eriogonum truncatum), thought to be extinct since last seen in 1936, was rediscovered in a remote area of the mountain. Binomial name Eriogonum truncatum (Torr) A. Gray Mount Diablo buckwheat (Eriogonum truncatum) is a small pink flower, believed to have been extinct since its last sighting in 1936. ...

Wildlife

All vegetation, minerals and wildlife within the park are protected and it is illegal to remove such items or to harass any wildlife.

Commonly seen animals include coyote, bobcat, Black-tailed Deer, California Ground Squirrels, Fox Squirrels and Grey Foxes; many other mammals including Mountain lions are present. It is a chief remaining refuge for the threatened Alameda Whipsnake, California red-legged frog. Less common wildlife species include the reintroduced peregrine falcon, ringtail cats, and to the east American badgers, San Joaquin kit fox, roadrunners, California tiger salamander, and burrowing owls. There are also exotic (non-native) animals such as the Red Fox and Opossum, the latter being North America's only marsupial. Binomial name Canis latrans Say, 1823 The coyote (Canis latrans, meaning barking dog) also prairie wolf [2]) is a member of the Canidae (dog) family and a relative of the domestic dog. ... Binomial name Lynx rufus (Schreber, 1777) The Bobcat (Lynx rufus, commonly misinterpreted as Felis rufus) is a small wild cat indigenous to North America. ... Trinomial name Odocoileus hemionus columbianus Richardson, 1829 Like all deer, black-tailed deer are herbivores. ... Binomial name Spermophilus beecheyi (Richardson, 1829) The California Ground Squirrel, Spermophilus beecheyi (referred to in some older sources as Otospermophilus beecheyi), is a common and easily observed ground squirrel of the western United States and Baja California; it is common in Oregon and California and its range has relatively recently... Binomial name Sciurus niger Linnaeus, 1758 The Fox Squirrel (Sciurus niger), also known as the Stump-eared Squirrel, is the largest species of tree squirrels native to North America. ... Gray Fox may also refer to a special forces unit of the United States; see Gray Fox. ... Binomial name Puma concolor (Linnaeus, 1771) The puma (Puma concolor) is a type of large cat found in North, Central and South America. ... Threatened species refers to animal and plant species under a serious, but perhaps not imminent, threat of extinction. ... Binomial name Rana draytonii The California Red-legged frog (Rana draytonii) is a species of frog within the family Ranidae also known as the true frogs. // Physical description The California Red-legged Frog is a moderate to large (4. ... Binomial name Falco peregrinus Tunstall, 1771 The Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus), sometimes formerly known in North America as Duck Hawk, is a medium-sized falcon about the size of a large crow: 38-53 cm (15 to 21 inches) long. ... A roadrunner is: in zoology, A roadrunner is one of two species of bird in the genus Geococcyx of the cuckoo family Cuculidae, order Cuculiformes, native to North and Central America. ... Binomial name Ambystoma californiense Gray, 1853 The California Tiger Salamander (Ambystoma californiense) is an endangered amphibian native to Northern California. ... Binomial name Vulpes vulpes Linnaeus, 1758 Synonyms Vulpes fulva, Vulpes fulvus The Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes) is the most familiar of the foxes. ... This article or section should be merged with Virginia_opossum The word opossum (usually pronounced without the leading O, or with only a very slight schwa) refers either to the Virginia Opossum in particular, or more generally to any of the other marsupials of magnorder Ameridelphia. ... Orders Didelphimorphia Paucituberculata Microbiotheria Dasyuromorphia Peramelemorphia Notoryctemorphia Diprotodontia Marsupials are mammals in which the female typically has a pouch (called the marsupium, from which the name Marsupial derives) in which it rears its young through early infancy. ...

In September and October you may encounter the male Tarantula spider (fearsome in appearance but harmless if undisturbed) as he seeks a mate. More dangerous are black widow spiders, far less likely to be encountered in the open. Diversity 113 genera, 897 species Genera Subfamily Acanthopelminae    Acanthopelma Subfamily Aviculariinae    Avicularia    Ephobopus    Pachistopelma    Tapinauchenius Subfamily Eumenophorinae    Anoploscelus    Batesiella    Citharischius    Encyocrates    Eumenophorus    Hysterocrates    Loxomphalia    Loxoptygus    Monocentropus    Myostola    Phoneyusa    Polyspina Subfamily Harpactirinae    Ceratogyrus    Coelogenium    Eucratoscelus    Harpactira    Pterinochilus Subfamily Ischnocolinae    Chaetopelma    Cratorrhagus    Heterothele    Ischnocolus    Nesiergus    Plesiophrictus/Neoplesiophrictus Subfamily Ornithoctoninae    Citharognathus    Cyriopagopus    Haplopelma... black widow spider (Latrodectus mactans), a poisonous spider that is infamous for the females habit of eating the male after sexual intercourse. ...

Of special note as a potential hazard is the Northern Pacific Rattlesnake. While generally shy and non-threatening, one should be observant and cautious of where one steps to avoid accidentally disturbing one. They are often found warming themselves in the open (as on trails and ledges) on cool, sunny days. Species about 30 Rattlesnakes is a group of venomous New World snakes, genera Crotalus and Sistrurus, which have a small noise-making jointed rattle on their tails. ...

There has also been an increase in the mountain lion population in the larger region and one should know how to respond to these animals if encountered. Please see the mountain lion safety tips in the Mountain lion article. Binomial name Puma concolor (Linnaeus, 1771) The puma (Puma concolor) is a type of large cat found in North, Central and South America. ... Binomial name Puma concolor (Linnaeus, 1771) The puma (Puma concolor) is a type of large cat found in North, Central and South America. ...

One should avoid ground and brush contact to avoid fleas and ticks and the various diseases that they may transmit. Families Tungidae â€“ sticktight and chigoe fleas (chiggers) Pulicidae â€“ common fleas Coptopsyllidae Vermipsyllidae â€“ carnivore fleas Rhopalopsyllidae â€“ marsupial fleas Hypsophthalmidae Stephanocircidae Pygiopsyllidae Hystrichopsyllidae â€“ rat and mouse fleas Leptopsyllidae â€“ bird and rabbit fleas Ischnopsyllidae â€“ bat fleas Ceratophyllidae Amphipsyllidae Malacopsyllidae Dolichopsyllidae â€“ rodent fleas Ctenopsyllidae Flea is the common name for any of the small... Families Ixodidae - Hard ticks Argasidae - Soft ticks Nuttalliellidae Tick is the common name for the small arachnids that, along with mites, constitute the order Acarina. ...

Mosquitos have always been somewhat hazardous in this area as they have been known to carry western equine encephalitis, caused by a virus dangerous to humans. With the recent spread into the counties around Mount Diablo of the recently introduced West Nile virus, mosquitos are now far more hazardous, as this debilitating and sometimes fatal disease is carried by (and can be fatal to) bird populations. Mosquitos are particularly active for about two hours after sunset and can be present in large numbers near creeks and during spring and fall wet seasons and after the rare summer rainfalls. Insect repellant containing the chemical DEET is recommended. Genera See text. ... Groups I: dsDNA viruses II: ssDNA viruses III: dsRNA viruses IV: (+)ssRNA viruses V: (-)ssRNA viruses VI: ssRNA-RT viruses VII: dsDNA-RT viruses A virus (Latin, poison) is a microscopic particle that can infect the cells of a biological organism. ... West Nile virus is a virus of the family Flaviviridae, found in both tropical and temperate regions. ...

Facilities

Summit building, Mt. Diablo

Gatehouses are located at the end of Northgate Road (in Walnut Creek and Diablo Road (in Danville). The Danville entrance is also known as Southgate. If the gatehouses are not operating, the park fees may be paid at the junction ranger station, where the two roads join. Summit building, Mount Diablo State Park, California. ... Summit building, Mount Diablo State Park, California. ... Looking east across Walnut Creek. ... Danville is a town located in a part of Contra Costa County, California called the San Ramon Valley, United States. ...

From here the road reaches the summit of the mountain, where there is an observation building with a visitor's center with natural history exhibits (presently closed due to California's budget constraints, but the roof viewpont remains accessible). On busy days it is advisable to park at the large parking lot near the summit and take a short walk up to the summit. At this lot you may encounter hang gliders ready for launch. There is also a restroom here and at the summit. Hang gliding is one of the windsports. ...

From the elevation of the lower lot there is also a level wheelchair-accessible trail with interpretive stations that extends part way around the mountain. There are numerous hiking trails and some paths available for mountain biking and horse riding. Two hikers in the Mount Hood National Forest Eagle_Creek hiking Hiking is a form of walking, undertaken with the specific purpose of exploring and enjoying the scenery. ... Mountain biker riding in the Arizona desert. ... horse, see Horse (disambiguation). ...

Camping facilities are available within the park. There are numerous picnic sites. Pets are restricted and require proper documentation for rabies (not just a tag). Daytime visitors must exit the park by sunset except for special events. Some picnic spots may be reserved but most are available without reservation. Car camping is camping in a tent, but nearby the car for easier access and for supply storage Camping is an outdoor recreational activity, in which the campers get away from civilization and enjoy nature by spending one or more nights at a campsite. ...

Alcohol is strictly forbidden in the park. Fires are allowed only during the wet season (generally December through April), and only in sanctioned fire pits. The park may be closed on windy days during the dry season due to extremely hazardous fire conditions.

Two additional entrances with parking for hikers are provided on the northwest side of the park at Mitchell Canyon and Donner Canyon. Mitchell Canyon provides easy access to Black Point and Eagle Peak. Donner Canyon provides hikers access to Eagle Peak, Mount Olympia, North Peak, and the popular Falls Trail, which features several seasonal waterfalls.

Events

On December 7 of each year the aircraft beacon atop the summit building is illuminated from sunset to dawn. A ceremony memorializing the attack on Pearl Harbor on this day in 1941 is held at the summit, with some of the few remaining survivors present. The public is welcome and visitors on this day should enter the park before 4:30 PM. Visitors may leave later than usual — this is one of the few opportunities to view the sunset from the peak, weather permitting, without an overnight stay. More interesting than the sunset itself is the view of the progression of the mountain's shadow across the California Central Valley to the distant Sierra Nevada, finally appearing for a few moments above the horizon as a shadow in the post-sunset sky glow. December 7 is the 341st day (342nd in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Combatants United States Empire of Japan Commanders Husband Kimmel (USN), Walter Short (USA) Chuichi Nagumo (IJN) Strength 8 battleships, 8 cruisers, 29 destroyers, 9 submarines, ~50 other ships, ~390 planes 6 aircraft carriers, 2 battleships, 3 cruisers, 9 destroyers, 8 tankers, 23 fleet submarines, 5 midget submarines, 441 planes Casualties... The California Central Valley Part of the Valley as seen from overhead A typical Central Valley scene at ground level The California Central Valley is a large, flat valley that dominates the central portion of the U.S. state of California. ... The Sierra Nevada is a mountain range that is almost entirely in eastern California. ...

In April of 1946, an Army C-45 transport plane crashed on the north side of the mountain, killing the two crew members aboard.

'Save Mount Diablo' sponsors spring and fall schedules of events on the mountain, Spring on Diablo and Autumn on Diablo, as well as many other special events such as its anniversary event Moonlight on the Mountain; Four Days Diablo, a trip on the Diablo Trail; the Mt. Diablo Challenge, an 1100 cyclist hill climb to the summit; and the Mt. Diablo Trail Adventure, combined 10k and half-marathon hikes and runs.

Occasionally there will be public access to astronomical observations made by a local astronomy club. This club has been allocated a small parcel on the mountain and is developing a permanent observatory at this location. The instrument to be installed will have digital-imaging capabilities and visitors will be able to take home an astronomical image that they may display on their home computer system.

External links

San Francisco Bay Area Portal

• Mount Diablo page of the California State Parks official website
• Save Mount Diablo is a non-profit organization formed in 1971 which acquires land, responds to development proposals, creates recreational opportunities and conducts events and educational programs related to Mt. Diablo
• Mt. Diablo Interpretative Association, a non-profit organization working to help the public enjoy the Mount Diablo park
• Mount Diablo Observatory Association
• Check-Six.com - Story of the 1946 Crash of an Army C-45F on the northern face of Mt. Diablo
• Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve
• MT. DIABLO CAM ~Live webcam~
• Old Borges Ranch demonstration farm
• Photos of Mount Diablo State Park
• Computer-generated summit panoramas North South index. Note comments in the "Geography" section on this page about the viewshed.
• Up and Down California in 1860-1864

Image File history File links Portal. ...

References

• Information from the California State Parks leaflet on Mount Diablo State Park, issue 8/01, 2000.
• sfgate.com article