does look like the female of Tipula fuliginosa. As you noticed that there has no record for this species from California or the west in general. The previously known range for this species is from Ontario, New England, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, westward to Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, southward to North Carolina, Kentucky and Tennessee. But this does not mean that it does not occur in California, it could be that nobody ever collected it before. Since most of the crane flies are identified based on male characters, a male specimen of this species would set the first record for the state of California. The two sexes in this species are strongly dimorphic, they used to be named in two different genera. Here is an image of the male Tipula fuliginosa , and also an image of mating pair . The male is very distinct in having an asymmetrical genitalia structure.