| Pinnacles National Monument | |
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IUCN Category III (Natural Monument)
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| Location | San Benito County & Monterey County, California, USA |
| Nearest city | Soledad, California |
| Area | 24,514 acres (9,920 ha) |
| Established | January 16, 1908 |
| Visitors | 158,637 (in 2004) |
| Governing body | National Park Service |
Pinnacles National Monument is a protected mountainous area located east of central California's Salinas Valley, just miles from the town of Soledad. The Monument's namesakes are the eroded leftovers of half of an extinct volcano.
The Monument is divided by the rock formations into East and West Divisions, connected by foot trails; there is no through road that connects the east and west entrances to the park. The east side has shade and water, the west has high walls. The rock formations provide for spectacular pinnacles that attract rock climbers. It is popular with advanced rock climbers due to the many difficult and challenging climbs.[1] The Monument is most often visited in spring or fall because of the intense heat during the summer months.
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First set aside as Pinnacles Forest Reserve in 1906, Pinnacles has had several different federal management agencies, ranging from the United States Forest Service to the General Land Office and ultimately to the National Park Service. In 1908 President Theodore Roosevelt created Pinnacles National Monument with the power given him in the Antiquities Act of 1906 to commemorate the people and organizations instrumental to the creation and early protection of the park. Pinnacles National Monument celebrated its Centennial in 2008 with numerous dedicatory events. The most recent addition to the Pinnacles National Monument was Clinton's Proclamation 7266 that increased the size of the monument by 7,900 acres (32 km2) and to include naturally formed caves.[2]
Pinnacles NM lies about 40 miles (64 km) inland from the Pacific Ocean and about 80 miles (130 km) south of the San Francisco Bay Area. The monument is in the southern portion of the Gabilan Range, part of California's Coast Ranges.
Elevation within the boundaries range from 824 feet (251 m) to 3,304 feet (1,007 m) at the peak of North Chalone Peak.
The climate is Mediterranean, typical on the Southern and Central California coast. The Santa Lucia Mountains lie between the Monument and Pacific Ocean, blocking much of the moderating influence of the Ocean. In comparison to the nearby coast, temperatures have a daily larger range that can be 50 °F to 100 °F (10 °C to 38 °C). The average rainfall is about 16 inches (410 mm) per year. Snow can fall in small amounts at higher elevations between mid-December and January.
The National Weather Service has a cooperative weather station at the park headquarters. Average January temperatures are a maximum of 60.8 °F (16.0 °C) and a minimum of 32.8 °F (0.4 °C). Average July temperatures are a maximum of 95.5 °F (35.3 °C) and a minimum of 50.3 °F (10.2 °C). The record high temperature was 116 °F (47 °C) on July 15, 1972. The record low temperature was 10 °F (−12 °C) on January 2, 1960, and December 22, 1990. Average annual precipitation is 16.55 inches (420 mm). The wettest year was 1983 with 35.80 inches (909 mm) and the driest year was 1947 with 6.08 inches (154 mm). The most precipitation in one month was 10.56 inches (268 mm) in March 1983. The most precipitation in 24 hours was 4.74 inches (120 mm) on February 3, 1998. The most snowfall in one month was 7.0 inches (180 mm) in January 1962.[3]
The monument lies within the California interior chaparral and woodlands ecoregion. The vegetation is about 80% chaparral with woodlands, riparian and grasslands merged into the chaparral. The diversity of intersecting ecosystems and altitude has led to great number of animal species that call the Monument home.
The Monument is located near the San Andreas Fault, which had a hand in creating the unique formations the Monument protects. The Pinnacles are part of the Neenach Volcano which erupted 23 million years ago near what is Lancaster, California today. The movement of the Pacific Plate along the San Andreas Fault split a section of rock off from the main body of the volcano and moved it 195 miles (314 km) to the northwest. It is believed that the pinnacles came from this particular volcano due to the unique breccias that are only found elsewhere in the Neenach Volcano formations. Differential erosion and weathering of the exposed rock created the Pinnacles that are seen today.
Large scale earth movement also created the talus caves that can be found in the Monument. Deep, narrow gorges and shear fractures were transformed into caves by large chunks of rock falling from above and wedging into the cracks leaving an open area below.
Since the Pinnacles were moved to this area, the San Andreas Fault has shifted 4 miles (6.4 km) to the East of the Monument. The original location of the San Andreas can be seen in the Chalone Creek Fault. Two other large faults are known to run through the Monument, the Miner's Gulch and Pinnacles Faults. These faults parallel the San Andreas and were most likely caused by major movements of the main fault.
Seismic activity is frequent in the Monument and United States Geological Survey maintains two seismometers within the boundaries. Evidence of past and ongoing seismic activity can be seen in offset streams where they cross faults. Valley bottoms and terraces show signs of uplift.
Prairie Falcons breed in this area in some of the highest densities of anywhere in North America. Peregrine falcons have recently returned to the Monument to breed also, but in far fewer numbers. A California Condor re-establishment program has been in place since 2003. Bobcats, mountain lions, coyotes, California Quail, wild turkey, and many other birds and mammals live in the area. Like many parks in central California, Pinnacles has had a small problem with wild pigs (a mix of feral domestic pigs and imported wild boars) disturbing the landscape on a regular basis. As of Spring 2006, the core of the park was pig free. The culmination of a twenty-year, 1.6 million dollar effort had succeeded in eradicating pigs from the main area of the park. National Park Service personnel along with IWS worked to remove pigs from inside the park, and establish and monitor an exclusionary pig fence that runs for approximately 26 miles (42 km) around the center core of the park. Outside this fence however, wild pigs still roam in regular abundance in and around the federally maintained campground within the east side of park. Such is the pervasiveness of the problem. Current monitoring for potential breaks and breaches in the fence is needed to ensure that the pigs do not return to devastate the park.
More than 80% of the park is designated as the Pinnacles Wilderness area (15,985 acres or 6,469 hectares), which provides even higher protection for the rock spires that give Pinnacles its name, as well as Chalone Peak, the highest peak in the Gabilan Range, and includes the creeks and canyons that are habitat for the endangered red-legged frog.[4] The United States Congress in 1976 enacted Public Law 94-567, adding Pinnacles Wilderness and several others to the National Wilderness Preservation System.[5]
There are several trails for day hikers, some of which are strenuous. The trails provide views of the surrounding hills and valleys on clear days. The San Andreas Fault is visible from some vantages along the trails.
Pinnacles NM includes a well known hiking portion known among enthusiasts simply as "The Pig Fence". This portion of South Wilderness Trail is a challenging stretch of strenuous hiking that at times requires use of the fence, erected to prevent feral pigs from entering the park, to help oneself to climb the steeply pitched trail.
Other trails include lush wildflower accented views along flat stream beds, trails that bring one into beautiful caves, and trails that involve high vistas of the Pinnacle formations.
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