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 MARBLE BLUFF - Several miles past Nixon there is this view of Marble Bluff, a mountain of marine limestone layed down some 250-200 million years ago. However, it is covered with billowy tufa clear up to it’s top. This tufa was formed when the area was covered by ancient Lake Lahonton some 10,000 to 20,000 years ago. Tufa is a form of calcium carbonate precipitated from calcium-rich waters by the action of algal and bacterial production, changes in water chemistry, and at spring areas. The billowy nature of the Marbel Bluff tufa will be seen as one rounds Marble Bluff’s northern tip.
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 LOWER PYRAMID LAKE AND PAH RAH RANGE - Several miles past Nixon there is this view of Marble Bluff, a mountain of marine limestone layed down some 250-200 million years ago. However, it is covered with billowy tufa clear up to it’s top. This tufa was formed when the area was covered by the ancient Lake Lahonton some 10,000 to 20,000 years ago. Tufa is a form of calcium carbonate precipitated from calcium-rich waters by the action of algal and bacterial production, changes in water chemistry, and at spring areas. The billowy nature of the Marble Bluff tufa will be seen as one rounds Marble Bluff’s northern tip.
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 WINNEMUCCA LAKE - After looking at the previous view turn 180 degrees and this is the result, a complete view of Winnemucca Lake (another remnant of Lake Lahonton), the Nightingale Mountains, and towering (20-40 feet tall) tufa structures, probably formed around spring areas. You will see more of these as you drive along. Another mile or so down the highway there is a dirt road taking off to the east that will take one to see these structures. If you do, you will see that many have collapsed on the sides showing the central core that probably formed around springs that existed. |
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 SNOOPY - Most of the time along the west shore of Winnemucca Lake one can see other examples of tufa towers. This tufa tower (although much smaller than the previous ones) is the result of someone with a sense of imagination and humor. |
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 STONE STRIPES - At the end of the Lake Range (west side of road) as one climbs out of the north end of Winnemucca Lake, there is a good example of stone stripes, a common feature along many of the roads in NW Nevada. These are formed by grass (these days mostly the invasive and useless cheat grass) and sometimes sagebrush growing between reddish-brown lava rock. |
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 SELENITE RANGE - In the same area if one looks east one look at the Selenite Range, a steep sided ragged granite range that has a fault at it’s base. This mountain was formed by the granite moving up and the valley floor moving down. An interesting feature of this picture is the two flattish structured “hills” left of center which were formed by landslides. |
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 GERLACH AND GRANITE MOUNTAIN - This picture was taken just past the village of Empire, a mining village which closed a little over a year ago when its gypsum plant and mine shut down (during Burning Man a small store opens where one an buy various odds and ends). Gerlach, one of the more isolated villages in Nevada, can be seen at the left near the base of the Granite Range (the peak is 9,056 feet high). Gerlach, where you can get gas and have a meal, is the jumping-off place for travels to the Black Rock Desert which expands in width as one goes east and extends some 75 miles to the east, and Burning Man. The light and dark banding at the base of the range to the right are from old shorelines of ancient Lake Lahonton.
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 HOT SPRINGS - Just past Gerlach one takes a right fork in the road (if you go left you can travel to the beautiful California valley and the village of Cedarville) and just past this turn-off you are near the base of the Granite Mountains and see evidence of a fault - hot springs. This photograph (called a diptix) is a view west (left) and east (right) of hot springs right along the road.
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 A LATE AFTERNOON DRIVE - Rich and I had set our chairs up, set up the tripod and camera, got a beer out and sat down when a truck went driving by on the desert floor with billowing clouds of dust trailing behind. Got it. This is a little "deja vu" since the same happened last year but the picture from last year was better – the truck was closer to us. We were setting there enjoying the scenery, the solitude, and solving the world’s problems when a SUV pulled up (damn, there goes the solitude) and out hopped the “Tripple Ds” – Dave (son), Dave (father), and Darleen (mother). Dave (father) and Darleen had never been to Burning Man and Dave (son) had brought them up to see it. We introduced ourselves and talked for maybe an hour before they departed to go back to Gerlach for dinner. They were going to return for a night view and I jokingly said “Bring back a beer, I was too cheap to bring enough”. Rich and I couldn’t believe it, they did. We talked for another hour or so listening to the “thump, thump…" emanating from Burning Man and viewing the lights before they left returning to Reno. Nice folks and thanks for the beer. |
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 GRANITE RANGE AND WAGON TIRE MOUNTAIN - Turning around from our view of Burning Man this is what we saw. I couldn’t resist putting in this picture because of its view of Granite Mountain but also a lesson of when taking pictures - turn around, there may be a neat opportunity for a nice picture. |
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 BURNING MAN UNDER EVENING'S ALPINE GLOW - Last year’s viewing was perfect for catching the night lights of Burning Man and the alpine glow of the earth’s shadow on the horizon. This year, because of hazy skies diffusing the sunlight, not good for what I wanted and the reason for this, last year’s, picture. |
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 BURNING MAN UNDER MORNING STORM CLOUDS - During the night clouds rolled in and a few rain drops, a real downpour for Nevada. This is what I got for a morning shot. All I could think was that if it really did rain on Burning Man, what a mud ball that would be. |
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 BLACK ROCK AND KING LEAR PEAK – As I mentioned in the previous comments, turning around may result in something really neat and different, something you didn’t expect. I turned around from Because of Rish's constant haranguing about turning around, I finally turned around and this picture resulted, a view looking NE from our position and Burning Man. Thanks Rich. |
