No mountain range spans such diverse geological and cultural worlds as the magnificent Santa Monica Mountains. Stretching forty-six miles from Griffith Park in the heart of Los Angeles to the sands of the blue Pacific, they rise to separate the city from the suburbs. Their story has developed over centuries, with characters ranging from Native Americans to rock 'n' roll singers to baseball players and just about every Angeleno in between. The Santa Monicas oversee canyons, thoroughfares, valleys, business parks, villages, a world-class metropolis, and even spawning runs of steelhead trout; their span is Los Angeles. Photos by award-winning nature specialist Tom Gamache and text by