California has three distinct mountain ranges with peaks over four thousand meters (Cascade Range in the far north, Sierra Nevadas and Whites in the middle). Among the east-west Transverse Ranges of Southern California are two with peaks over three thousand meters, the San Gabriels and the San Bernardinos. In the south we also have the San Jacintos (northernmost of the Peninsular Ranges that run south to Cabo San Lucas at the southern tip of Baja California). The San Jacintos too have peaks over three thousand meters. In the San Gabriels, within a one-hour drive from Los Angeles, we have beautiful montane-forest and subalpine habitats, with views of the Mojave Desert to the north, the city and the ocean to the south. The Puente Hills also are one of the Transverse Ranges, but a very low one-- occupied by chaparral and oak woodland habitats.