Pacific Coast Ranges

The Pacific Coast Ranges are the series of mountain ranges that stretch along west coast of North America from Alaska to Mexico. The character of the ranges varies considerably, from the record-setting tidewater glaciers in the ranges of Alaska, to the low but rugged and scrub-covered hills of southern California, but the entire coast is consistent in dropping steeply into the sea, often resulting in photogenic views.

There are a handful of coastal plains at the mouths of rivers that have punched through the mountains, most notably at the Fraser River in British Columbia, the Columbia River between Washington and Oregon, and the Sacramento River in California, the last creating San Francisco Bay.

From the vicinity of San Francisco Bay north, it is common for humid air masses from the Gulf of Alaska to make landfall in one of the Coast Ranges, resulting in heavy precipitation, both as rain and snow, especially on their western slopes.

These are the members of the Pacific Coast Ranges, from north to south:

Chugach Mountains, southern Alaska

Wrangell Mountains, southern Alaska

Saint Elias Mountains, southern Alaska, southwestern Yukon Territory

Coast Mountains, southeastern Alaska, British Columbia

Vancouver Island Ranges, British Columbia

Olympic Mountains, Washington

Calipoiea Mountains, Oregon

Klamath Mountains, Oregon, northern California

Trinity Alps and Salmon Mountains, California

Mayacmas Mountains, California

Marin Hills, California