Explore the wild on Instagram: "🌄 14 Unusual Facts About California’s Sierra Nevada Mountains 1️⃣ The Range of Light – The Sierra Nevada means “Snowy Mountains” in Spanish, but John Muir called it “The Range of Light” for the way sunlight hits its granite walls. 2️⃣ Home to the Highest Peak in the Lower 48 – Mount Whitney rises 14,505 ft (4,421 m), just 84 miles from Death Valley — the lowest point in North America. 3️⃣ Born of Fire and Ice – The range was carved by glaciers during the last Ice