This low-oblique, southeast-looking, synoptic photograph captures the great Central Valley of California. Composed of the Sacramento Valley to the north and the San Joaquin Valley to the southeast, the Central Valley of California is one of the richest agricultural areas in the United States. Visible to the east are the forested slopes and snow-covered higher peaks of the Sierra Nevada Mountains and light blue Lake Tahoe. West of the Central Valley, the Coast Range traverses north-south, and the San Francisco Bay Area is discernible among scattered clouds.