World's Smallest Mountain Range - California

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Derek Z

Well-known member
I spent the day hiking one of the world’s most unique geological formations - the world's smallest mountain range, also known as the Sutter Buttes. Located in the middle of the northern part of the Sacramento valley hemmed in by some of the most productive agriculture in the world (also known for its superb duck hunting) the Buttes are very unique. Rising to a peak of no more than 2200 ft, the buttes rise straight up from the middle of the near sea-level valley floor.
Penned in by private property on all sides, the Buttes are an often seen and rarely hiked area. My son and I were fortunate enough to get a spot on a hike to summit the 2nd tallest pinnacle; North Peak. At about 1800 ft, it’s not the tallest mountain to climb, but it is still a bit of a leg burner. The climb pitch is fairly vertical in some areas with near hand over hand climbing. At the top, you enjoy 360 degree views of the valley and some of the most highly productive duck country in the US. To the north you can view the Butte Sink, east is famed "district 9", south the Sutter bypass/south valley, and to the west is the Sacramento Valley refuge complexes of Colusa, Sac and Delevan. Other than spending a great day with my 16 year old hiking, I also enjoyed viewing snow geese winging by a hundred yards off the peak.
View North of the Butte Sink.
View attachment Butte 1 (Small).JPG
View West of South Peak and the western Sacramento Valley
View attachment Butte 2 (Small).JPG

Lichen
View attachment Butte 3 (Small).JPG
View east, the gray on the horizon line are the foothills of the Sierra Nevada's
View attachment Butte 4 (Small).JPG
 
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Looks like fun Derek. Don't climb that in summer time unless you like rattlesnakes.

Looks like you have our weather and we have yours. My family and I hiked 9 miles yesterday in the Columbia Gorge with about 1700 feet of elevation gain and loss. Don't worry you won't be really sore until Tuesday.
 
Turkeys? Sure looks like there should be some around......

Your plant is....Aristolochia californica (Dutchman's pipe)...native to California it will trail on the ground or climb....very popular in naturalized Butterfly Gardens......next time you see it dig me up some of the roots....

Neat pictures......

Steve

 
Thanks for taking me on that trip, Derek. Loved those pics and the commentary or your beautiful environment. That valley looks like it should hold a ton of birds. Is that some of the area where duck hunters pay big bucks to hunt?
Al
 
Derek, nice photos, I was on the same wave length as Steve ( boy thats scary!)

wondering if there are turkeys up there.

Fred
 
Turkies, did someone say Turkies? I don't know about you fellows, but I'm more than ready.

Great pics Derek, looks like spring has sprung there!
 
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Nope, we easterners have some "mountains" WAY smaller than that . . . .

Just east of me, in the Camden Hills, Mt. Battie barely gets to 1,000 feet, and the tallest peaks are around 1500.
 
Lots of Turkeys in the Buttes - LOTS. What they really have a lot of are feral pigs, the damage in some areas was unreal. I have a lead on one piece of property, but for the most part, hunting is tough to get access/permission in the Buttes. One issue is historic farmers/ranchers that have had to deal with poachers and abuse for to many yers. Lots of access and easement and trusting people to close gates is a huge issue.
Turkeys: Looking down the mountain we were able to spot two large flocks, one in the open at the edge of the valley and another feeding through a wash, both flocks numbering around 20-25 birds.
 
Those flowers dont smell well, they almost have a decayed flesh stench, dont plan on giving any to Debbie?
 
Thanks for letting me see this through your eyes, Derek. You truly have a gift with camera and prose.

I always look forward to reading your stuff. Keep it up.

Ed
 
Wow, it's so green. It's been a few months since I have seen anything so green. I guess spring is coming somewhere.
I'm still looking at the white stuff outside
Nice photos
 
Derek-

I've driven by those mountains many times and have often wondered what it looks like up there. Thanks for the pictures. Those are great! Does a landowner give "tours" or something to get up to the top?

Dani
 
get us access to some Turkey country.......we'll have the "First Annual DHBP Turkey Hunt" and come to your ground and shoot your Turkeys...you haven't seen one of Fred's CAMPs yet......you wouldn't stay in it since the floors are sterilized and there aren't flush toilets with automatic seat disinfetors but I bet we could find a chair new enough so that if you had a blanket from home you wouldn't be afraid to sit down and enjoy a visit before you had to leave to go to the Hilton for the night.....

I'll be in Oregon in Mid April....awful close and just perfect for a jump across the border.....

Steve
 
Nope, we easterners have some "mountains" WAY smaller than that . . . .

Just east of me, in the Camden Hills, Mt. Battie barely gets to 1,000 feet, and the tallest peaks are around 1500.
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It's not about the smallest mountain, it's about the smallest mountain "Range". The whole Sutter Buttes mountain range is a circular shape and is only 10 miles diameter. Your mountains may be shorter, but they are part of a much larger "Range" that runs up and down the east coast.
 
Next time I fly out of town during the day I will take an overhead of the Buttes - they sit all on their own, smack dab in the middle of the valley floor. They are really quite a sight.
Fred's camps are now Conde Nast rated - whoopee. Get me your dates and I will see what I can work out for Turkeys this year, no promises (turkeys aren’t my thing) but I will see what I can do. Now how about that chair, does it have an ISo2010 rating and is it guaranteed to not let my butt cheeks fall asleep?
 
Dani-
Some landowners lead private hikes and there is non-profit organization called the Middle Mountain Foundation that has access to some of the peaks and areas, they lead a select number of hikes each year as well. If they could eradicate the pigs, the terrain would be in very pristine condition even with the herding going on in the hills.
 
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