Worthington Mountains
| Worthington Mountains | ||
|---|---|---|
| Highest peak | Worthington Peak ( 2724 m ) | |
| location | USA , Nevada | |
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| Coordinates | 38 ° N , 116 ° W | |
The Worthington Mountains are a small, north-south trending mountain range in northwest Lincoln County in the state of Nevada in the United States . The mountain range is bounded to the west by the Sand Spring Valley and to the east by the Garden Valley . In the northwest is the Quinn Canyon Range , the Golden Gate Range is in the east. The Timpahute Range runs south to southeast.
The two highest peaks are Worthington Peak (2724 m) at the north end and Meeker Peak (2672 m) at the south end . The basins surrounding the mountains are at an altitude of 1500–1800 m.
The Worthington Mountains are part of the Basin and Range National Monument . This sanctuary was designated by Barack Obama through a Presidential Proclamation on July 10, 2015.
geology
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This area consists mainly of limestone from the Pogonip Group and dolomite from the geochronological period of the Ordovician . These run in a north-south direction and drop to the west by approx. 20 °. The sedimentary rocks are disturbed by numerous intrusions .
During the geochronological period of the Devonian , the so-called Guilmette Formation rose in the southern part of the mountain range. In this formation there are inclusions of the Alamo breccia, which indicate the impact of a large meteorite ( Alamo impact ) about 375 million years ago. At that time the region was covered by a primeval ocean. Today there is no more surface water here.
Industry
The Freiberg District in the northeast of the region has a long mining tradition. The old Freiberg mine began to mine gold and silver in 1865. Around 1918 the mine was renewed. From 1919 to 1948, the new Freiberg mine finally produced silver, lead, zinc and copper using underground and open-cast mining methods.
Vegetation and animal kingdom
In the lower elevations, steppes, consisting of grasses and shrubs, dominate. On the lower slopes of the mountains there are various species of conifers , American quivering aspen and Utah juniper . Ponderosa pines can be found in higher mountains up to almost 2700 m . Noteworthy are some plant species that are endemic to this protected area.
The area's mammal species include the bobcat , puma , pronghorn , elk , mule deer, and bighorn sheep .
Numerous species of lizards, bats and snakes can be found in the area. There are the birds of prey, the golden eagle , the round-tailed cattle, and the king-footed buzzard. Other bird species are the rabbit owl , chukar chicken , helmet quail, mountain mocking thrush, Nevada hammer, mountain hut warbler , Louisiana strangler and green-tailed ground hammer.
Worthington Mountains Wilderness Area
The Worthington Mountains Wilderness Area was declared a Wilderness Area (English, literally "wilderness area") by the US Congress in 2004 . This area covers most of the Worthington Mountains. The wilderness area is 124.09 km². This also includes the extensive alluvial fans on the western slopes of the mountains. Worthington Peak marks the northern limit of the reserve. North of Worthington Peak is the old mining area, which is not part of the reserve. In terms of altitude, the protected area covers an area of 1500–2733 m. The terrain consists of jagged peaks and ridges, narrow gorges and steep escarpments that stretch down to the desert floor.
In the Worthington Mountains Wilderness Area, human interference is permanently prohibited. Since there are no paths, it can only be used without vehicles. Bicycles and mountain bikes are also prohibited. Trekking and trail riding is allowed.
Attractions
The most important attraction is the Leviathan Cave . This cave is located northeast of Meeker Peak. The cave is difficult to access. It can be reached via an approx. 3.5 km long and difficult mountain climb at an altitude of approx. 2400 m. In the course of the path, a 10 m vertically sloping steep step must be overcome using abseiling technique. In the years 2000 to 2010, an average of only 40 people entered the cave per year. The cave contains stalagmites and stalactites . It is about 320 m long.
credentials
- ↑ Leroux, Hugues; John E. Warme and Jean-Claude Doukhan; Shocked quartz in the Alamo breccia, southern Nevada: Evidence for a Devonian impact event, Geology, 1995, v. 23, pp. 1003-1006
- ^ Worthington Mountains Wilderness. In: Wilderness Connect. Arthur Carhart National Wilderness Training Center and the Aldo Leopold Wilderness Research Institute, accessed June 19, 2018 .
- ↑ Tingley, Joseph P., The Mineral Resources of the Timpahute Range 30x60 Minute Quadrangle, Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology, Report 46, 1991, pp. 6-10
- ↑ Weepah Spring Wilderness & Worthington Mountains Wilderness: Wilderness Management Plan and Environmental Assessment, pp. 4–5, 32; Archived copy ( memento of the original from February 22, 2017 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , accessed March 1, 2017.
- ↑ Archived copy ( memento of the original from March 3, 2017 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , accessed March 1, 2017.
- ↑ Weepah Spring Wilderness & Worthington Mountains Wilderness: Wilderness Management Plan and Environmental Assessment, p. 3; Archived copy ( memento of the original from February 22, 2017 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , accessed March 1, 2017.
- ^ Leviathan Cave , http://www.birdandhike.com/Hike/BasinRange/Lev_Cave/_Lev.htm ; Archived copy ( memento of the original from February 22, 2017 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , accessed March 1, 2017.
