What is the documented upper limit for the elevation range occupied by the *Crotalus oreganus* complex?
Answer
Exceeding 11,000 feet (about 3,350 meters)
The species exhibits remarkable ecological flexibility concerning altitude, successfully occupying habitats spanning from sea level all the way up to approximately 11,000 feet. Furthermore, specific confirmation from observations within the Sierra Nevada mountain range in California demonstrates that this species can thrive at elevations that actually exceed this 11,000-foot threshold. This ability to occupy extreme altitudes suggests that access to critical microclimates, such as consistent exposure to sunlight and the presence of reliable, deeply situated rocky dens, plays a more significant role in determining their upper vertical distribution than simply the ambient air temperature.
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