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77-697: Mount Diablo is a mountain of the Diablo Range , in Contra Costa County of the eastern San Francisco Bay Area in Northern California . It is south of Clayton and northeast of Danville . It is an isolated upthrust peak of 3,849 feet (1,173 meters), visible from most of the San Francisco Bay Area. Mount Diablo appears from many angles to be a double pyramid and has many subsidiary peaks. The largest and closest

154-749: A clear day, the Sierra Nevada range is plainly visible from the summit. The best views are after a winter storm; a snowy Sierra shows up better, and summer days are likely to be hazy. Lassen Peak , 181 miles (291 kilometers) away, is occasionally just visible over the curve of the earth. Sentinel Dome in Yosemite National Park is visible, but Half Dome is hidden by the 8000-foot ridge at 37.755N 119.6657W. Eight bridges are visible, from left to right (southwest to northeast): San Mateo , Bay , Golden Gate , San Rafael , Carquinez , Benicia , Antioch , and Rio Vista . Countless peaks in

231-610: A decade there is seriously deep and long lasting snowfall. Mercury contamination near the southern end of the range is an ongoing problem, due to the New Idria quicksilver mines, which stopped production in the 1970s. Heavy mercury contamination has been documented in the San Carlos and Silver Creeks, which flow into Panoche Creek , and thence into the San Joaquin River . This has resulted in mercury contamination all

308-594: A linguist, contradicted himself on this point: First he said "Costanoans themselves were a set of tribelets [small tribes] who spoke a common language [...] distinguished from one another by slight differences in dialect"; however, after saying that, he concluded: "The eight branches of the Costanoan family were separate languages (not dialects) as different from one another as Spanish is from French". Randall Milliken stated in 1995 that there were eight dialects, citing missionary-linguist Felipe Arroyo de la Cuesta to

385-466: A linguist, shifted his position in 2008 to follow Callaghan, referring to separate Costanoan languages rather than dialects. Golla (2011) states that all Costanoan languages in the vicinity of San Francisco Bay, with the exception of Karkin, were mutually intelligible . The Ohlone native people belonged to one or more tribes, bands or villages, and to one or more of the eight linguistic group regions (as assigned by ethnolinguists ). Native names listed in

462-412: A mate. These spiders are harmless unless severely provoked, and their bite is only as bad as a bee sting. More dangerous are black widow spiders , far less likely to be encountered in the open. In the wintertime, between November and February, bald eagles and golden eagles are present. These birds are less easily seen than many raptors; golden eagles, particularly, fly at high elevations. Mount Diablo

539-791: A small Indigenous language family historically spoken in Northern California , both in the southern San Francisco Bay Area and northern Monterey Bay area, by the Ohlone people. Along with the Miwok languages , they are members of the Utian language family . The most recent work suggests that Ohlone, Miwok, and Yokuts are branches of a Yok-Utian language family. Ohlone comprises eight attested varieties: Awaswas , Chalon , Chochenyo (also spelt as Chocheño), Karkin , Mutsun , Ramaytush , Rumsen , and Tamyen . Overall, divergence among these languages seems to have been roughly comparable to that among

616-632: A willow thicket some 7 miles north of the mountain. One story tells that their nighttime escape through the thicket was aided by mysterious lights. An 1850 report by General Mariano G. Vallejo tells of a strange dancing spirit turning the battle in favor of the Chupcan. Vallejo interpreted the natives' word for the personage, puy , to mean "devil" in the Anglo-American language. Vallejo's report could be interpreted to align with Edward G. Gudde's history of place names. (Kyle, and Ortiz) By 1824,

693-439: Is North Peak, the other half of the double pyramid, which is nearly as high in elevation at 3,557 feet (1,084 m), and is about one mile (1.6 kilometers) northeast of the main summit. The mountain is within the boundaries of Mount Diablo State Park , which is administered by California State Parks . The summit is accessible by foot, bicycle, or motor vehicle. Road access is via North Gate Road or South Gate Road. The peak

770-487: Is a living person, and so is banned under federal law. He suggested renaming the mountain Mount Kawukum, and later, Mount Yahweh . Suggestions by other individuals included Mount Miwok and Mount Ohlone , after local Indian tribes. Finally Mijares proposed Mount Reagan , but the board rejected it on the grounds that a person must be deceased for five years to have a geographic landmark named after them. Eventually,

847-569: Is advisably offensive and incorrect, per the Ohlone people.) Many of the known tribal and village names were recorded in the California mission records of baptism , marriage , and death. Some names have come from Spanish and Mexican settlers, some from early Anglo-European travelers, and some from the memories of Native American informants . Speakers were natives still alive who could remember their group's native language and details. Some of

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924-538: Is also known as Southgate. If the entrance stations are not operating, park fees may be paid at the junction ranger station, where the two roads join. From here the road reaches the summit of the mountain, where there is a visitors center housing an observation deck and natural history exhibits. From the elevation of the lower lot the Mary Bowerman Trail is a level wheelchair-accessible path and boardwalk with interpretive stations that extends part way around

1001-580: Is based primarily on Callaghan (2001). Other classifications list Northern Costanoan, Southern Costanoan, and Karkin as single languages, with the following subgroups of each considered as dialects: More recently, Callaghan (2014) groups Awaswas together with Mutsun as part of a South Central Costanoan subgroup with the Southern Costanoan branch. Regarding the eight Ohlone branches, sources differ on if they were eight language dialects , or eight separate languages . Richard Levy, himself

1078-470: Is best to learn 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.) At higher altitudes and on north slopes is the widely distributed foothill pine ( Pinus sabiniana ). Knobcone pine ( Pinus attenuata ) may be found along Knobcone Pine Road in the southern part of the park. The park and nearby Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve mark

1155-639: Is dominated with nonnative invasives. Blooming in spring are such plants as Viola pedunculata , Dodecatheon pulchellum , Fritillaria liliacea , and Ribes malvaceum , which can be viewed in the Blue Oak Ranch Reserve . The range's riparian zones have such trees as bigleaf maple ( Acer macrophyllum ), white alder ( Alnus rhombifolia ), California bay ( Umbellularia californica ), and California sycamore ( Platanus racemosa ). The most common trees are coast live oak ( Quercus agrifolia ) and blue oak ( Quercus douglasii ), with

1232-530: Is 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

1309-618: Is held in conservation easements by the California Rangeland Trust . Since the range lies around 10–50 miles (16–80 kilometers) inland from the ocean, and other coastal ranges like the Santa Lucia Range and the Santa Cruz Mountains block incoming moisture, the range gets little precipitation. In addition, the average elevation of 3,000 feet (910 m) is not high enough to catch most of

1386-621: Is in Mount Diablo State Park, a state park of about 20,000 acres (8,000 hectares). The state park was the first public open space established on or near the peak. According to the non-profit Save Mount Diablo, there are now varied types of protected lands on and around Mount Diablo that total more than 90,000 acres (36,000 ha). These include 38 preserves, such as nearby city open spaces, regional parks, and watersheds , which are buffered in some areas with private lands that have been protected by conservation easements . On

1463-569: Is not an appropriate name for the historic mountain. Later, the board unanimously voted against renaming the mountain, citing its historical significance. In 1851 the south peak of the mountain was selected by Colonel Leander Ransom as the initial point —where the Mount Diablo Base and Mount Diablo 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

1540-690: Is part of the Altamont Area/Diablo Range, which enjoys the largest concentration of golden eagles anywhere. In recent years there have been credible sightings of California condors, which have been reintroduced at Pinnacles National Park, located to the south in the Gilroy-Hollister area. Of special note as potential hazards are 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

1617-467: The Bancroft Library , and more material continues to be published by local historical societies and associations. Many of the original sounds were first heard and copied down by Spanish missionaries using Spanish as a reference language, subject to human error, later translated into English and Anglicized over time. Spelling errors crept in as different missionaries kept separate records over

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1694-731: The Calaveras Fault in its northern section. For much of its length, it is paralleled by other sections of the California Coast Ranges to the west, the Santa Cruz Mountains across the southern San Francisco Bay and Santa Clara Valley, and the Santa Lucia Range across the Salinas Valley . The East Bay Hills are bounded geologically by the Calaveras Fault to the east and the Hayward Fault to

1771-717: The East Bay Regional Park District , including Morgan Territory Regional Preserve , Brushy Peak Regional Preserve , Vasco Caves Regional Preserve , and Round Valley Regional Preserve . It also adjoins protected areas owned or controlled by local cities such as the Borges Ranch Historic Farm , the Concord Naval Weapons Station (now in the process of being converted to non military use), Indian Valley, Shell Ridge Open Space and Lime Ridge Open Spaces near

1848-664: The Great Valley Sequence were deposited from 66 to 150 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 four million years, local faulting has resulted in compression, folding, buckling, and erosion, bringing

1925-622: The U.S. Board on Geographic Names rejected the petitions, saying there was no compelling reason to change the name. In 2009 Mijares again proposed the name Mount Reagan to the United States Board of Geographic Names because the late president was by then eligible. The board gave the Contra Costa County Supervisor's Committee until March 31 to file an opinion. Individual members of the committee have responded that although they respect Reagan, Mount Reagan

2002-539: The University of California, Berkeley . In 1944 she published her 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. Her work also became the origin of many of the park's place names. Mount Diablo was used for broadcasting purposes in the 1950s by radio station KSBR-FM and television station KOVR (channel 13). The Mount Diablo site gave KOVR, which

2079-566: The city of Walnut Creek , and east to the Los Vaqueros Reservoir watershed. The new Marsh Creek State Park and Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve are among the open spaces stretching to the north. In this way the open spaces controlled by cities, the East Bay Regional Park District, Mount Diablo State Park, and various regional preserves now adjoin and protect much of the elevated regions of

2156-474: 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 strike-slip 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

2233-539: The 1800s. There still are numerous coyotes and some of the more vital mountain lion populations in the state. There are excellent populations of bobcats and gray foxes , which depend on the chaparral habitat. A species of millipede, Illacme plenipes , is endemic to the southern Diablo Range. First described in 1926, then not seen again until 2005, the species has more legs than any other species of millipede, with one specimen having 750. Ohlone language The Ohlone languages, also known as Costanoan , form

2310-478: The Central Valley city of Tracy . South of Pacheco Pass, the only major nearby communities (those with a population over 15,000) are Los Banos , and Hollister . The small town of Coalinga may also be notable for its location on State Route 198 , one of the few routes through the mountains. Also the town of Kettleman City is also on State Route 41, another route that crosses the mountains. Towns west of

2387-509: The Diablo Range include knobcone pine ( Pinus attenuata ), Jeffrey pine ( Pinus jeffreyi ) and ponderosa pine ( Pinus ponderosa ). The Diablo Range attracts far more raptors than coastal forests, such as red-tailed hawks . Golden eagle nesting sites are found in the Diablo Range, reaching their highest density in southern Alameda County. The Bay checkerspot butterfly , a federally listed threatened species , has habitat in

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2464-656: The Diablo Range. Although not formally recognized by USGS GNIS, the East Bay Hills consists of the Briones Hills furthest north, then the Berkeley Hills , the San Leandro Hills centrally, and Walpert Ridge and Pleasanton Ridge to the southwest and southeast, culminating at Alameda Creek / Highway 84 . Geologically, the Diablo Range corresponds to the California Coast Ranges east of

2541-473: The Diablo Trail , the most accurate and up-to-date map of Mount Diablo's more than 90,000 acres (36,000 ha) of protected lands. It includes 100 access points, 520 miles (840 km) of trail, and 400 miles (640 km) of private fire roads. Mount Diablo is a geologic anomaly about 30 miles (50 km) east of San Francisco. The mountain is the result of geologic compression and uplift caused by

2618-802: The Mount Diablo Region, they were hunted to extinction by 1850. Northwards expansion of Diablo Range elk to Mount Diablo has been blocked by Interstate 580 . However, in 2006 a bull elk swam 4 miles (6.4 km) across Suisun Bay from the Grizzly Island herd to Contra Costa County, and historically large herds crossed the Carquinez Strait . Entrance stations are located at the end of Northgate Road (in Walnut Creek ) and Diablo Road (in Danville ). The Danville entrance

2695-814: The Range, especially at Mount Diablo. The California tiger salamander ( Ambystoma californiense ), also a federally threatened species and a vulnerable species of amphibian native to Northern California , lives in ponds in the range. The northern Pacific rattlesnake is thriving, as are many ground squirrels , hares , and various species of native and nonnative rodents. Tule elk ( Cervus canadensis ssp. nannodes ) were restored to Mount Hamilton between 1978-1981 and are slowly recovering in several small herds in Santa Clara and Alameda Counties. See Mount Hamilton elk recovery . Black-tailed deer are abundant. Pronghorn , grizzly bears , and wolves were extirpated in

2772-561: The Santa Clara Valley, Livermore Valley and San Joaquin Valley are typically 400–1,000 feet (120–300 m). Canyons are usually 300–400 feet (91–122 m) deep; valleys are often deeper but less steep-sided. Peaks often have high topographic prominence, as they are surrounded by valleys or lower hills or plateaus. Streams draining the eastern slopes of the Diablo Range include Hospital Creek and Ingram Creek . Stream draining

2849-520: The area traditionally had a variety of creation narratives associated with the mountain. In one surviving narrative fragment, Mount Diablo and Reed's Peak ( Mount Tamalpais ) were surrounded by water; from these two islands the creator Coyote and his assistant Eagle-man made Native American people and the world. In another, Molok the Condor brought forth his grandson Wek-Wek the Falcon Hero, from within

2926-534: The dawn of time". Further inland, the Nisenan of the Sacramento Valley call it Sukkú Jaman , "dog mountain"; because, as Nisenan elder Dalbert Castro once explained, it's "the place where dogs came from in trade". A Southern Sierra Miwok name for the mountain is Supemenenu , and a Northern Sierra Miwok name is Oj·ompil·e . It has also been suggested that another early Native American name for

3003-426: The decades. Soon after Earth Day in 1971, the nonprofit organization "Save Mount Diablo" was created by co-founders Mary Bowerman and Art Bonwell, barely ahead of real estate developers. At the time, the state park included just 6,788 acres (2,747 ha) and was the only park in the vicinity of the mountain. In 2007 the state park totaled almost 20,000 acres (8,100 ha), and with 38 parks and preserves on and around

3080-459: The effect that the idioms seemed distinct as one traveled from mission to mission, but actually formed a dialect chain from one neighboring local tribe to another. Catherine Callaghan (1997, 2001), a linguist who steeped herself in the primary documents, offered evidence that the Costanoan languages were distinct, with only Ramaytush, Tamyen, and Chochenyo possibly being dialects of a single language. Milliken (2008), himself an ethnohistorian and not

3157-528: The former tribe and village names were gleaned from the land maps (" diseños de terreno ") submitted by grantees in applying for Spanish and Mexican land grants or designs (" diseños ") that were drawn up in Alta California prior to the Mexican–American War . In this regard, large amounts of untranslated material is available for research in the records of Clinton H. Merriam housed at

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3234-454: The incoming moisture at higher altitudes. Winters are mild with moderate rainfall, but summers are very dry and hot. Areas above 2,500 feet (762 m) get light to moderate snow in the winter, especially at the highest point, the 5,241 ft (1,597 m) San Benito Mountain in the remote southeastern section of the range. However, though sites at the lower end get annual snowfall, it is typically light and melts too fast to be noticed. Once or twice

3311-489: The languages of the Romance sub-family of Indo-European languages. Neighboring groups seem to have been able to understand and speak to each other. The number and geographic distribution of Ohlone language divisions partially mirrors the distribution of Franciscan missions in their original lands. While the known languages are, in most cases, quite distinct, intermediate dialects may have been lost as local groups gathered at

3388-512: The largest blue oak growing in Alameda County. There are also good populations of California buckeye ( Aesculus californica ), and California black oak ( Quercus kelloggii ). The gray pine ( Pinus sabiniana ) and rarer Coulter pine ( Pinus coulteri ) can be found at all elevations, especially between 800–3,000 feet (240–910 m). Coulter pine reaches its northern limit on northern of Mt. Diablo. The conifers at higher elevations in

3465-554: The mission records were, in some cases, clearly principal village names, in others the name assigned to the region of a "multifamily landholding group" (per Milliken). Although many native names have been written in historical records, the exact spelling and pronunciations were not entirely standardized in modern English. Ethnohistorians have resorted to approximating their indigenous regional boundaries as well. (The word that Kroeber coined to designate California tribes, bands and villages, tribelet , has been published in many records but

3542-559: The missions. A newly discovered text from Mission Santa Clara provides evidence that Chochenyo of the East Bay area and Tamyen of the Santa Clara Valley were closely related dialects of a single San Francisco Bay Ohlone language. The last native speakers of Ohlone languages died by the 1950s. However, Chochenyo, Mutsun, and Rumsen are now in a state of revival (relearned from saved records). The classification below

3619-616: The mountain was Kawukum or Kahwookum , but there is no evidence to confirm the assertion. According to Indian historian Bev Ortiz and Save Mount Diablo: "The name Kahwookum was made up in 1866 — with no real Native American connection — referred to the California Legislature's Committee on Public Morals, and tabled. It resurfaced as a real estate gimmick in 1916 with a supposed new translation, "Laughing Mountain", attributed without documentation to Diablo area Volvon Indians. Most of Mount Diablo, including its peak,

3696-514: The mountain were created in 1874 by Joseph Seavey Hall and William Camron (sometimes "Cameron"); Hall's Mount Diablo Summit Road was officially opened on May 2, 1874. Camron's "Green Valley" road opened later. Hall also built the 16-room Mountain House Hotel near the junction of the two roads, a mile below the summit (2,500 foot elevation. (It operated through the 1880s, was abandoned in 1895, and burned c. 1901). As far north as Meridian Road, on

3773-955: The mountain were mined in the 19th and early 20th centuries, but are now open to visitors as the Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve . Guided tours of the sand mines and coal field are provided. 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 Mount Diablo manzanita ( Arctostaphylos auriculata ), Mount Diablo fairy-lantern ( Calochortus pulchellus ), chaparral bellflower ( Campanula exigua ), Mount Diablo bird's beak ( Cordylanthus nidularius ), Mount Diablo phacelia ( Phacelia phacelioides) and Mount Diablo sunflower ( Helianthella castanea ). The park includes substantial thickets, isolated examples, and mixed ground cover of western poison oak . (It

3850-497: The mountain's viewshed is the largest in the world‍—‌or second largest after Mount Kilimanjaro ‍—‌are ill-founded. It does boast one of the largest viewsheds in the Western United States and played a key role in California history. Mount Diablo is sacred to many California Native American peoples. According to Miwok mythology and Ohlone mythology , it was the point of creation. The local peoples of

3927-443: The mountain, Diablo's public lands total more than 90,000 acres (36,000 ha). According to Save Mount Diablo, there are 50 individual preserves on and around Mount Diablo, some of which are conservation easements covering a single parcel, others are expected to eventually be absorbed into larger nearby parks. As of December 2007, the organization recognizes 38 specific Diablo parks and preserves. The State Park adjoins park lands of

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4004-513: The mountain. About 25 independent tribal groups with well-defined territories lived in the East Bay countryside surrounding the mountain at time of European contact. Their members spoke dialects of three distinct languages: Ohlone , Bay Miwok , and Northern Valley Yokuts . The Chochenyo -speaking Ohlone from Mission San Jose and the East Bay area, call the mountain Tuyshtak , meaning "at

4081-508: The mountain. There are unprotected areas in Arroyo del Cerro, Curry Canyon, the Marsh creek region, and on the northern slopes of North Peak, and in a number of inholdings surrounded by preserve land. Park expansion continues on all sides of the mountain although its western boundaries are largely complete. Extensive development continues in the southwestern foothills and Tassajara region, such as

4158-499: The mountain; a regular single track trail completes the loop. There are 520 miles (840 km) of hiking and equestrian trails, some available for mountain biking . 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. Alcohol

4235-463: The northeast peak of Mount Diablo "Mount King", after Rev. Thomas Starr King , a Unitarian clergyman, abolitionist, Republican, Yosemite advocate, cultural Unionist, and California's leading intellectual. Today it is known simply as North Peak. In 2005 Arthur Mijares, from the neighboring town of Oakley , petitioned the federal government to change the name of the mountain, claiming it offended his Christian beliefs. Additionally, he claimed that Diablo

4312-470: The northern extreme of the range of Coulter pine ( Pinus coulteri ). This species may be seen along the Coulter Pine Trail near the north (Mitchell Canyon) entrance. In 2005 the endangered species Mount Diablo buckwheat ( Eriogonum truncatum ), thought to be extinct since last seen in 1936, was rediscovered in a remote area of the mountain. All vegetation, minerals and wildlife within

4389-472: The open (as on trails and ledges) on cool, sunny days. Other wildlife to avoid include fleas, ticks and mosquitoes. There has also been an increase in the mountain lion or puma ( Puma concolor ) population in the larger region and one should know how to respond if these animals are encountered. Please see the mountain lion safety tips in the mountain lion article. Although tule elk , an elk subspecies found only in California, were historically native to

4466-490: The outskirts of Chico, California , the summit was used as a reference point. The road is colinear with the summit, and is named for the meridian which intersects it. An aerial navigation beacon, the Standard Diablo tower, was erected by Standard Oil at the summit in 1928. The 10-million-candlepower beacon became known as the "Eye of Diablo" and was visible for a hundred miles. After initial legislation in 1921,

4543-426: 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

4620-501: The popular Falls Trail, which features several seasonal waterfalls. Diablo Range The Diablo Range extends from the Carquinez Strait in the north to Orchard Peak and Polonio Pass in the south, near the point where State Route 46 crosses over the Coast Ranges at Cholame , as described by the United States Geological Survey (USGS). It is bordered on the northeast by the San Joaquin River , on

4697-540: The range south of Gilroy include: Salinas , King City , and Paso Robles . Most of the range consists of private ranchland, limiting recreational use. However, the range does contain several areas of parkland, including Mount Diablo State Park , Alum Rock Park , Grant Ranch Park , Henry W. Coe State Park , Laguna Mountain Recreation Area , and the BLM 's Clear Creek Management Area. In addition, some private land

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4774-683: The range. The Diablo Range is paralleled for much of its distance by U.S. Route 101 to the west and by I-5 to the east. Major routes of travel through the range include: A sparsely used gravel road is the highest road in the range, with its highest point being on San Benito Mountain at over 5,000 feet. The Diablo Range is largely unpopulated outside of the San Francisco Bay Area . Major nearby communities include, Antioch , Pittsburg , Concord , Walnut Creek , Alamo , Danville , San Ramon , Pleasanton , Livermore , Fremont , Milpitas , San Jose , Morgan Hill , and Gilroy and

4851-496: The region north of the mountain came to be known as Monte del Diablo ("devil's thicket"; in this case monte should be translated as thicket or dense woods). It was shown on maps near present-day Concord (formerly known as Pacheco ). Later, U.S. settlers understood "Monte" to refer directly to the mountain, and it was recorded with varying degrees of certainty until "Mount Diablo" became official in 1850. In May 1862, California Geological Survey field director William H. Brewer named

4928-414: 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 . In September and October male tarantula spiders can be seen ( Aphonopelma iodius ) as they seek

5005-727: The southeast by the San Joaquin Valley , on the southwest by the Salinas River , and on the northwest by the Santa Clara Valley and San Francisco Bay . On USGS maps, the "Diablo Range" is shown as the ridgeline which runs between its namesake Mount Diablo southeastward past Mount Hamilton . However, the USGS Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) includes the East Bay Hills in its list of various GPS coordinates for

5082-596: The state are taller, but Mount Diablo has a remarkable visual prominence for a mountain of such low elevation. Its looming presence over much of the Bay Area , delta , and Central Valley , and good visibility even from the Mother Lode , all key regions during the gold rush and early statehood , made it an important landmark for mapping and navigation. The summit is used as the reference datum for land surveying in much of northern California and Nevada. Claims that

5159-605: 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 through the 1960s. Significantly, botanist Mary Leolin Bowerman (1908–2005), founder of the Save Mount Diablo non-profit in 1971, published her Ph.D. dissertation in 1936 at

5236-618: The summit. The mountain grows from three to five millimeters each year. 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 Farallon Plate dating back to the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods, between 90 and 190 million years ago. During this time, the Farallon Plate was subducting beneath the North American continent. These deposits were scraped off

5313-616: The top and accreted onto the North American Plate . This resulted in the highly distorted and fractured basalt and serpentine of the Mount 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 m) of sandstone, mudstone, and limestone of

5390-696: The upscale development of Blackhawk and individual estates overlooking the Livermore Valley on Morgan Territory Road. Other large projects are proposed in the northern Black Diamond Mines and Los Medanos foothills, at the Concord Naval Weapons Station, and near Marsh Creek State Park. Large-scale development of other private parcels is restricted by city and county urban limit lines, by lack of water, excessive slope, and sensitive resources including rare species. Development of smaller ranchette subdivisions continue to fragment and threaten many parcels and large areas of habitat. In 2007 Save Mount Diablo published Mount Diablo, Los Vaqueros & Surrounding Parks, Featuring

5467-444: The various formations into their current juxtaposition. This faulting action continues to change the shape of Mount Diablo, along with the rest of the Coast Ranges. The summit area of Mount 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

5544-804: The way downstream to the San Francisco Bay. Silver and San Carlos creeks provide a wetland environment in an otherwise arid region and are important for the ecology of the region. As of 2011, New Idria has been listed as a Superfund site and scheduled for cleanup. The Diablo Range is part of the California interior chaparral and woodlands ecoregion . It is covered mostly by chaparral and California oak woodland communities, with stands of closed-cone pine forests appearing above 4,000 feet (1,219 m). The native bunch grass savanna has been predominantly replaced by annual Mediterranean grasses , except in some rare habitat fragments. The understory

5621-600: The west. The range passes through Contra Costa , Alameda , San Joaquin , Santa Clara , Stanislaus , Merced , San Benito , Fresno , Monterey , and Kings Counties, and ends in the northwesternmost extremity of Kern County . Though the average elevation is about 3,000 feet (910 meters), a summit of over 2,300 feet (700 m) is considered high, mainly because the range is mostly rolling grassland and plateaus, punctuated by isolated peaks. Plateaus are usually at about 2,000–3,000 feet (610–910 m). Hills rise to about 1,000 feet (300 m), while foothills such those in

5698-428: The western foothills of the mountain there are large deposits of younger sandstone rocks also rich in seashells, severely tilted and in places forming dramatic ridgelines. Mount Diablo forms a double pyramid which gives the appearance of a volcano although in fact it is formed of ancient sea floor rock being uplifted by relatively recent tectonic forces. Deposits of glassmaking-grade sand and lower-quality coal north of

5775-415: The western slopes include Alameda Creek and Coyote Creek . The Diablo Range's peaks and ridges are between 2,517–5,241 feet (767–1,597 m) and are distinct landmarks. Mount Diablo (3,849 feet (1,173 m)), San Benito Mountain (5,241 feet (1,597 m)), Mount Hamilton Ridge (4,230–4,260 feet (1,290–1,300 m)), and Mount Stakes (3,804 feet (1,159 m)) are four of the highest peaks in

5852-580: Was based in Stockton , regional coverage that also included San Francisco and Sacramento . However, it also forced the station to pay San Francisco rates for movies and impeded any attempt at obtaining network affiliation. In 1957, the station relocated to Butte Mountain in Jackson in order to become an ABC affiliate and remove its signal from the Bay Area. This state park has been greatly expanded over

5929-496: Was within the homeland of the early Volvon (sometimes spelled Wolwon, Bolbon or Bolgon), a Bay Miwok –speaking tribe. As early as 1811, Spanish colonists referred to the mountain as Cerro Alto de los Bolbones ("High Hill of the Volvon") or sometimes Sierra de los Bolgones . The conventional view is that the peak derives its name from the reaction of Spanish soldiers to the 1805 escape of several Chupcan Native Americans in

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