Intermountain Physical Geography

Our local telephone calling region covers approximately 1,500 square miles of rugged, mountainous terrain ranging in elevation from 2,000' to 5,000'. A handful of narrow, winding county-maintained roads from Whitmore to Moose Camp to Big Bend to Oak Run provide access to most of roughly 1,500 homes in the region. Several homes and homesteads are located on private roads or those shared with timber or utility companies, some of which lead several miles from pavement. Utilities available are telephone and PG&E electricity along more established routes. Most homes are heated with wood, as the only fossil fuel available is propane, and it is relatively expensive. Kerosene for 'Monitor' type heaters is also gaining popularity, though the initial cost of the appliance is beyond many people's means.
Water is one of our area's blessings. Springs, Creeks and lakes are too numerous to count, all of which comprise a significant portion of the Sacramento River watershed. Most of this water drains into Shasta Lake's Pit River Arm. With four distinct seasons, fertile soil and plenty of water, the region is being discovered for its agricultural advantages, with residents planting crops ranging from tomatoes to boutique vineyards and many varieties of berries.

Rainfall averages 110" per year, with the majority of precipitation falling as rain in the late Winter and early Spring months. Snow accumulations are far less than historical accounts- average for the past twenty years is 1/2 to 4 feet. Snowfall is affected by several microclimatic zones, and accumulation ranges from none to several feet depending upon location.
The community of Big Bend is unique in the region as a bit of a Shangri-La, boasting hot-water springs, some of which are still 'wild'. The community is at an elevation of 1,200' and surrounded by mountains, some of which rise to over 6,000' and have persistent snow into mid-summer. The entire region is dwarfed by the awesome majesty of Mount Shasta, towering 14,462' - and most of that elevation is above the surrounding landscape, giving it the singular reverence of Mt. Fuji. Mount Lassen, part of the Lassen Volcanic National Park, is a wonder itself, visit the steaming, sulfury caldera of the remains of an ancient volcano that rose nearly 12,000 above sea level.
Other features in the Central Shasta County region are Shasta Lake, a popular Summer resort, houseboating and fishing reservoir- and a dramatic testament to man's taming of north-state rivers to enable the growth and survival of the Central Valley, both agriculturally and residentially. tours of the dam are temporarily unavailable due to construction, check the Interior Dept. site for more information on several features mentioned here (links coming...).