Sierra Madre Occidental

Sierra Madre Occidental is a range in Mexico 300 miles wide that runs parallel with the Gulf of California and the Pacific Ocean. Its average elevation is 10,000 feet, and its mountains are generally steeper and more rugged than those of the Sierra Madre Oriental, which parallels the Gulf of Mexico. Many peaks of the Occidental range have some snow cover, and most are volcanic. Though situated well east of the main range, Mexico's three highest mountains,  all isolated volcanoes, are sometimes considered part of the Occidental Range.