The mountain range is about 50 miles (80 km) long and 5–10 miles (8–16 km) wide, with 3/4 of the range lying within the state of Nevada. The Carson Range, along with its parent the Sierra Nevada,
together cast a rain shadow over the Greater Reno Area and Carson City.
Unlike the main crest of the Sierra Nevada to the west of Lake Tahoe, the Carson Range loses its snow much earlier (April), and gains it much later (December). In fact, it receives about half the snowfall as mountains west of the lake.[3] Meltwater from the range feeds into the Truckee River and West Fork Carson River, as well as Lake Tahoe and Marlette Lake.
