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Why is the Sierra Nevada sometimes included in the Pacific mountain system?
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Pacific mountain system
Coast Mountains along the Torres Channel, an arm of Atlin Lake, northwestern British Columbia, Canada.
The Sierra Nevada is often included in the Pacific mountain system because it is geographically and structurally associated with the western margin of North America, forming part of the broader Western Cordillera.
While the Pacific mountain system is primarily defined as a series of ranges stretching along the Pacific Ocean coast, the Sierra Nevada is frequently grouped with these ranges due to its proximity to the Cascade Range and its role as a major component of the mountainous terrain bordering the Central Valley of California. Geologically, the Sierra Nevada is composed of a massive granite batholith that extends northward to merge with the volcanic rocks of the Cascades, further linking the two ranges within the regional landscape.123