The Santa Cruz Mountains occupy the area west of the San Andreas fault between San Francisco and Salinas. Principal structural features are the San Andreas fault, the Pescadero fault, the Ben Lomond Highlands and associated faulting and the Butano-Bean Hill uplift. These features are described and related to their counterparts in adjacent areas.

A basement-contour map is used to illustrate the discussion. Major stratigraphic features are pointed out through the use of generalized columnar sections and isopach maps of the Pliocene and Miocene basins. Stratigraphic similarities with other portions of the province of Salinia are investigated.

The history of oil exploration in the Santa Cruz Mountains is briefly reviewed with emphasis on consideration of the cause of wildcat failures in this province which on the surface exhibits all the features commonly considered prerequisites to oil accumulation.

End_of_Article - Last_Page 2630------------