Sutter Buttes

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Sutter Buttes
The Sutter Buttes rise over the town of Sutter, California.
Elevation	2,130 feet (650 m) ^[1]
Location	Sacramento Valley, California, USA
Prominence	2,060 ft (630 m) ^[2]
Coordinates	39°12.38′N 121°49.28′W / 39.20633, -121.82133Coordinates: 39°12.38′N 121°49.28′W / 39.20633, -121.82133
Topo map	USGS Sutter Buttes
Type	Lava domes
Age of rock	1.5–2.5 million years
Last eruption	1.5 million years ago

The Sutter Buttes, also known as the Marysville Buttes or Histum Yani (Maidu), are a small circular complex of eroded volcanic lava domes which rise above the flat plains of the California Central Valley, USA. The highest peak, South Butte, reaches about 2,130 feet (650 m) above sea level. The Buttes are located just outside of Yuba City, California in the Sacramento Valley, the northern part of Central Valley. They are named for John Sutter, who received a large land grant from the Mexican government. The Sutter Buttes also hold the title of being the world's smallest mountain range.^{[citation needed]}

1 Geography and geology
2 Native American lore
3 Recent history and access
4 Notes
5 See also
6 References

[edit] Geography and geology

The mountains are about 10 miles (16 km) across from north to south and east to west, and are the smallest mountain range in the world. The valley formed in the middle of the Buttes is called the Peace Valley.

The Sutter Buttes were formed over 1.5 million years ago by a now-extinct volcano. Some geological references suggested that it represents the southernmost of the Cascade Volcanoes [1], but there are significant differences in age and form compared to the other volcanoes in that range. The questions about their origin and connection to other regional volcanic activity are the subject of ongoing research.

[edit] Native American lore

The Sutter Buttes figure prominently in the creation stories and other traditions of the indigenous Maidu people. Ancient Maidu did not live in the Sutter Buttes, but they did visit the mountains regularly to gather acorns and other foodstuffs or to hunt game. The Maidu, who lived in their shadow for thousands of years, called them Esto Yamani, which means "the Middle Mountain".

[edit] Recent history and access

Public access to the Sutter Buttes is limited. Much of the land is privately held by cattle and sheep ranchers, but a number of naturalists and local organizations, including the Middle Mountain Foundation, lead hikes through most areas. Since 1929, the State of California had considered purchasing the land for protection and public use.

In 1963, a missile silo complex containing three separate Titan I ICBM missiles was constructed near the base of the Buttes. The site was only active from 1963 to 1965, and it was decommissioned and mostly dismantled in 1965. The site has been host to many vandals and trespassers since the early 1980s to the present.

In 2003, the California Department of Parks and Recreation purchased a 1,785 acre (7.2 km²) tract in Peace Valley toward the north side of the Buttes with the intent of developing it for public access. Power lines connecting to Path 15 and Path 66 run on the eastern edge of the Sutter Buttes.