Tehachapi

Understand

Tehachapi is unusually windy. Two of the largest wind farms in the United States are located here: the Alta Wind Energy Center, which as of 2013 was the largest wind farm in the United States, and the Tehachapi Pass Wind Farm, which in 2013 was the fifth largest wind farm. Since the California Central Valley is an immense basin surrounded by mountains, the few low passes through the mountains serve as conduits for air going in and out. Tehachapi Pass, just east of town, is the lowest — and hence windiest — pass in the valley's surrounding mountains.

Climate

Go next

• Bakersfield - nicknamed "the country music capital of the West Coast", Bakersfield is the largest city in the southern San Joaquin Valley and is thus the best option for those seeking lodging, transportation, or other services.
• Keene - west on Highway 58, Keene is home to the Cesar E. Chavez National Monument, which contains the headquarters and grave site of the famous labor leader. Another attraction is the Tehachapi Loop, which is located just outside of town and is a favorite of railroad fans around the world since the engineering wonder is one of the few places where a train can be seen passing over itself.
• Mojave - east of Tehachapi on Highway 58, Mojave is a hotbed of aerospace activity, with the Mojave Spaceport the headquarters of Scaled Composites, the first private company to launch a human into space. Edwards Air Force base, a landing site for the space shuttle and a center for the development of experimental aircraft, is located south of town.