Pacific Coastal Mountain Ranges: Sierra Nevada and Cascades, Not Sierra Madre

The mountain system paralleling the Pacific coastline from California to Alaska comprises the Sierra Nevada (in California) and the Cascade Range (extending through Oregon, Washington, and into Canada and Alaska). The Sierra Madre is a separate range located in Mexico and Central America. This distinction is important for understanding the geology and geography of western North America, where the Sierra Nevada and Cascades form a continuous barrier shaped by tectonic activity along the Pacific margin.