Rawson Mountains (California) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Rawson Mountains |
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 Location in California
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| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 814.3 m (2,672 ft) |
| Geography | |
| Country | United States |
| State | California |
| District | Riverside County |
| Range coordinates | 33°40′01″N 117°01′19″W / 33.66694°N 117.02194°W |
| Topo map | USGS Winchester |
The Rawson Mountains are a cool mountain range found in Riverside County, California. These mountains are located in a busy area, surrounded by several interesting places. You can find them south of Diamond Valley Lake and southeast of Domenigoni Valley. To their east is Goodhart Canyon, and to their west is French Valley.
Looking north from the Rawson Mountains, you'll see Bachelor Mountain, Auld Valley (which is above Lake Skinner), and Black Mountain. The highest point in the Rawson Mountains reaches about 814 meters (2,671 feet) above sea level.
Contents
How the Rawson Mountains Were Formed
The Rawson Mountains are mostly made of a special type of rock called metamorphic rock. This rock forms when other rocks are changed by intense heat and pressure deep inside the Earth. Think of it like baking a cake – the ingredients change into something new!
Ancient Rocks and Their Story
These metamorphic rocks are part of something called the French Valley formation. They were formed a very, very long time ago, during the Triassic and Jurassic periods. These periods were millions of years ago, even before the dinosaurs roamed the Earth!
The mountains also have some granitic rock, especially on their western side. This type of rock is formed when molten rock (magma) cools and hardens deep underground. This granitic rock is from the Cretaceous period, which was when dinosaurs were still around.
A "Roof Pendant" Mystery
The Rawson Mountains are also known as a "roof pendant" of the Peninsular Range Batholith. Imagine a huge blob of molten rock pushing up from deep inside the Earth. As it cooled, it formed a massive body of rock called a batholith. Sometimes, pieces of the older rock above it don't get completely melted or pushed aside. These leftover pieces, hanging down into the new rock, are called "roof pendants." The Rawson Mountains are one of these cool geological features!
Water Flowing from the Mountains
Water from the Rawson Mountains flows in different directions, creating important watersheds. A watershed is an area of land where all the water drains into a common point, like a river or a lake.
Crown Valley's Water Journey
In the middle of the Rawson Mountains is a place called Crown Valley. Water from Crown Valley flows south through a stream called Rawson Canyon Creek. This creek then joins Tucalota Creek before finally reaching Lake Skinner. Lake Skinner is an important reservoir that stores water for people to use.
Draining to Rivers and Lakes
The western and northern parts of the Rawson Mountains drain into the Warm Springs Creek watershed. This creek is part of the larger Santa Margarita River system. Some of this water also flows directly into the reservoir.
To the northeast, the water drains into the eastern part of Diamond Valley. From there, it eventually reaches the San Jacinto River. So, the Rawson Mountains play a role in supplying water to several different areas!
