Which mountain ranges help create the dry conditions of the North American Desert?

The dry conditions of the North American Desert are primarily caused by its location within an intermontane region sheltered by major mountain barriers that create rain shadow effects.12

Specifically, the desert is situated between the Rocky Mountains to the east and the moist, fertile Pacific coast ranges to the west. The Sierra Nevada mountains are also explicitly noted for creating rain shadow effects that contribute to the lack of rainfall in the American Southwest. These mountain systems act as orographic barriers, forcing moisture-laden air from the Pacific Ocean to rise and release precipitation on their windward slopes, leaving the interior regions significantly drier.213