Loma Prieta
{{Short description|Highest peak in the Santa Cruz Mountains in Northern California}}
{{About||the 1989 earthquake that affected the San Francisco Bay and Monterey Bay regions|1989 Loma Prieta earthquake|the American musical ensemble|Loma Prieta (band)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox mountain
| name = Loma Prieta Peak
| photo = West_Flank_of_Loma_Prieta_Mountain,_April_2012.jpg
| photo_size = 320
| photo_caption = Loma Prieta from the West
| elevation = {{convert|3790|ft|m|0|lk=off|abbr=on}}
{{cite ngs
| id = HS5218
| designation = Loma Prieta Reset
| accessdate = 2009-08-07 }}
| prominence_ft = 3426
{{cite peakbagger
| pid = 1197
| name = Loma Prieta Peak , California
| accessdate = 2009-08-07 }}
| translation = Dark Hill
| language = Spanish
| location = Santa Clara County, California, U.S.
| range = Santa Cruz Mountains
| coordinates = {{coord|37.111011844|N|121.844161333|W|type:mountain_region:US-CA_scale:100000_source:NGS|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
| range_coordinates =
| topo = USGS Loma Prieta
| type =
| age =
| easiest_route = RoadAlexander Dallas Bache
| map = USA California#USA
| relief = 1
| map_width =
| map_alt =
| map_caption =
}}
Loma Prieta (from Spanish loma -hill, prieta -dark) is the highest peak in the Santa Cruz Mountains in Northern California, measuring {{convert|3790|ft|m}} in height.{{cite gnis|227488|Loma Prieta}}
Although the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake was named for this mountain, the actual epicenter was five miles southwest of the peak, across the San Andreas Fault, in The Forest of Nisene Marks State Park.
In the 19th century, the peak was called Mount Bache, a name given in honor of Alexander Dallas Bache; the name is no longer in use.{{cite book |last1=Brewer |first1=William Henry |title=Up and Down California in 1860-1864; The Journal of William H. Brewer: Book 2, Chapter 3 NEW ALMADEN |url=http://www.yosemite.ca.us/library/up_and_down_california/ |accessdate=20 June 2019}}
From 1955 to 2005, the mountain was the longtime site for the transmitter tower of San Jose television station KNTV. In September 2005, it moved its transmitter {{convert|83|km|mi}} northwest to San Bruno Mountain after it became the Bay Area's NBC affiliate.
Geology
Loma Prieta is the tallest peak in the Santa Cruz Mountains and it is common to see snow on the mountain during the winter.
Loma Prieta and other nearby mountain peaks are pushed upward by local collision forces associated with a left bend in the San Andreas Fault. Starting near Uvas Canyon, the fault stops trending northwest but instead bends west-northwest for about eight miles before continuing its northwest direction. This left bend is renowned among geologists as an archetypal restraining bend which acts to oppose strike-slip motion along the fault.{{cite journal |title=Exhumation history of the Sierra Azul Block of the Santa Cruz Mountains Revealed Using Low Temperature Thermochronology |journal= American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2008 |date=December 2008 |last=Hilley |first=G.E. |last2=Dumitru |first2=T. |last3=Gudmundsdottir |first3=M.H. |last4=Burgmann |first4=R. |bibcode=2008AGUFM.T43E..02H |url=https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2008AGUFM.T43E..02H/abstract |accessdate=2022-10-01 }} From the perspective of Loma Prieta and other mountains atop the Sierra Azul block, the Pacific Plate is trying to shear them off the North American Plate but can't break them off. Rather, the resulting transpression force pushes up the local terrain and helps explain why these are the highest peaks in the Santa Cruz Mountains.{{cite book |last=Sloan |first1=Doris |title=Geology of the San Francisco Bay Region |location=Berkeley, California |publisher=University of California Press |year=2006 |page=43 |isbn=978-0-520-24126-8 }}
Astronomy
From 1976 through 1990 amateur astronomer Donald Machholz set up his telescope an average of 120 times a year on the south slope of this mountain to search for comets. From this site he discovered three new comets that bear his name, including Periodic Comet Machholz 1 96P/Machholz on May 12, 1986.
The first official West Coast Messier marathon was conducted from this site in March 1979.
{{Gallery
|title=
|width=240
|height=
| Image:Loma Prieta aerial.jpg | Loma Prieta (the peak just right of center) and other nearby peaks are decorated with television broadcast towers and other communication towers, serving the Santa Clara Valley. Fog-shrouded Monterey Bay and the Monterey peninsula are visible in the background in this late-afternoon approach to San José International Airport.
}}
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{cite web |title=Map of Loma Prieta | url=http://www.google.com/maps/place/Loma+Prieta/}}
{{Santa Cruz Mountains}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Mountains of Santa Clara County, California