Day 3: West Humboldt Range

When the sky cleared the next morning, the fresh air and a hike to the ancient high beach barrier at the top of the mountain (now covered with smooth black “desert pavement”) afforded a breathtaking view of the Carson Sink. The vast extent of the ancient body of water began to “sink in”. The beach barrier, constructed of dark stones of apparently volcanic origin, was almost exactly at the 4,390 ft Sehoo Highstand level, and behind it was a small dry lake. This hitherto undocumented geological feature graphically illustrated the water action on the Weast Humboldt Range when the lake was at its greatest extent. The staggering panorama before us was almost impossible to capture on film; the composite image below is feeble attempt to convey the majesty of the scene.
 

Hidden Dry Lake (right) behind Ancient Beach Barrier (center) in West Humboldt Range  This beach is at the Sehoo Highstand level, 500 feet above the Carson Sink (left background). Evidence of an even higher beach is provided by the short flat saddle in the background.

Descending the treacherous 4WD road back down to the lakebed level (500 feet below), we were more aware than ever of the "stairstep" nature of the hillside, caused by the several ancient beaches formed by wave action as the lake stabilized at successively lower levels after reaching its peak.
 

The road back down to the Playa	Descending the "Stair Steps" of ancient beaches

The rest of the day was devoted to exploration of the remainder of the West Humboldt Range, which today forms the barrier between the Carson and Humboldt Sinks. It was hard to believe that when the lake was full, only the very highest peaks protruded above the water as a chain of islands in the enormous lake!

On the north side of the range, we visited the Lovelock Indian Cave, where numerous ancient artifacts have been excavated. Indian legend has it that the cave was occupied at one time by a mysterious tribe of red-headed men, who were eventually smoked out by setting fire to brush in front of the cave. Further west, we reached the much less known and visited Ocala Cave. At these two caves we had our only encounters with other human beings while out in the desert. At the Lovelock Cave a pair of dirt bikers were looking for refinements to their annual “border to border” off road route from Mexico to Canada. We caught up with them again near Ocala after a great many miles of rugged and harrowing trail.
 

Ancient Shorelines Cut Into Side of West Humboldt Range	North End of Carson Sink

Along this rough, remote and obviously hardly ever used 4WD road fringing the north side of the range, we discovered eerie old beaches with the pebbles still piled up undisturbed along the shore. Sitting there, we could really imagine the waves splashing in, and the ancients sitting at the water’s edge, having a barbeque and watching the children swim.

Relaxing on the beach, we realized that our time was passing rapidly -- each day packed with geological and archaeological interest. Scientific commentary and debate on the CB was interspersed with Land Rover talk as the route was punctuated by some kind of 4WD challenge (rocks, sand dunes, steep hillclimbs, washouts) -- that sufficed to give pause even to the veteran drivers. Our camp that night was on another bluff with a beautiful view of the Carson Sink.