LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Tuesday, Dec. 11, is a special day for those who love mountains.
That’s because Dec. 11 has been designated International Mountain Day.
The day was created by the United Nations in 2003 to promote awareness about the importance of the world’s mountains and highlands.
Mountains are crucial to life, provide most of the world's fresh water, harbor a rich variety of plants and animals, and are home to one in ten people.
Luckily you don’t have to go far to appreciate breathtaking mountains.
Dominating the Lake County skyline and rising to an elevation of 4,300 feet is Mt. Konocti.
The mountain is sacred to the native Pomo, and continues to be admired and treasured by those who today call the county home.
It is so important that the county of Lake purchased 1,520 acres atop the mountain in 2009 in order to create a park.
In neighboring Yolo County there is Berryessa Peak, the highest point of Blue Ridge, a small mountain ridge east of Lake Berryessa.
In September 2008, private landowners established a trail easement that opened up 9,100 acres of public lands and gave public access to the remarkable views and summit of Berryessa Peak.
Then there is Snow Mountain, located in the 37,000 acre Snow Mountain Wilderness in the Mendocino National Forest.
The tallest peak, known as Snow Mountain East, is just over 7,000 feet in elevation and is renowned for being the highest point in both Colusa and Lake counties.
The hike to the top of East Peak is a moderate climb, providing stunning views of the Sacramento Valley and the Sierra Nevada Mountains to the east, Clear Lake to the southwest and the Mendocino National Forest to the North.
During the winter, the summits of Snow Mountain accumulate a snowpack that can last until June. These snowpacks are an important water source that feed into nearby streams and rivers as they melt.
For more information about the Berryessa Snow Mountain region, visit www.berryessasnowmountain.org .
To learn more about Mt. Konocti and its recreational opportunities, visit http://www.lakecounty.com/AboutLC/Explore/Konocti.htm or http://www.konoctitrails.com/trails-information/mt-konocti-regional-park .