Sierra Madre Occidental Sierra Madre Occidental The Sierra Madre Occidental is a major mountain range system of the North American Cordillera, that runs northwest–southeast through Northwestern and Western Mexico, and along the Gulf of California. The Sierra Madre is part of the American Cordillera, a chain of mountain ranges (cordillera) that consists of an almost continuous sequence of mountain ranges that form the western "backbone" of North America, Central America, South America and Antarctica. The Spanish name "sierra madre" means "mother mountains" and "occidental" means "western" in English, with these being the "Western Mother Mountains". To the east, from the Spanish "oriental" meaning
Chehalem Mountains Peak, rising to , which is also the highest peak point within the Willamette Valley. The word "Chehalem" is a corruption of the Atfalati Indian word "Chahelim," a name given in 1877 to one of the bands of Atfalati. Chehalem Mountains The Chehalem Mountains are a mountain range located in the Willamette Valley in the U.S. state of Oregon. Forming the southern boundary of the Tualatin Valley, the Chehalems are the highest mountains in the Willamette Valley. Composed of a single land mass that was uplifted by tectonic forces, the mountain range includes several spurs and ridges such as Parrett