Loma Prieta

Loma Prieta, the highest peak in the Santa Cruz Mountains at 3,790 feet, is a defining summit of Northern California whose Spanish name means “Black Hill.” It is closely associated with the 1989 earthquake that took its name, though the epicenter lay southwest across the San Andreas Fault. The mountain’s great height reflects compressive forces created where the fault bends near Uvas Canyon, lifting Loma Prieta and nearby peaks above much of the range. It also became a notable site for amateur astronomy, where Donald Machholz discovered three comets, and for broadcasting as KNTV’s longtime transmitter location from 1955 to 2005.

Day Valley, California · United States