Ruby Mountains
Encyclopedia
The Ruby Mountains comprise one of the many mountain ranges of the Great Basin
in the western United States
. They are the predominant range in Elko County
, in the northeastern section of the state of Nevada
. To the north is Secret Pass and the East Humboldt Range
, and from there the Rubies run south-southwest for about 80 miles (128.7 km). To the east lies Ruby Valley
, and to the west lie Huntington and Lamoille Valleys. The highest peak is Ruby Dome
11387 feet (3,470.8 m), located at 40°37.3'N and 115°28.5'W in the central core of the range, about 21 mi (33.8 km) southeast of the community of Elko
.
The 'Rubies' were named after the garnet
s found by early explorers. The central core of the range shows extensive evidence of glaciation
during recent ice age
s, including U-shaped canyons
, moraine
s, hanging valley
s, and steeply carved granite mountains
, cliffs
, and cirque
s. All of these features can be seen from the 12-mile paved National Forest Scenic Byway up Lamoille Canyon
, which enters the range near the town of Lamoille
.
constitute the headwaters of the South Fork of the Humboldt River. Major summits include Ruby Dome, Ruby Pyramid, Thomas Peak, Liberty Peak, Mount Fitzgerald, Verdi Peaks, Snow Lake Peak, Mt. Silliman, and Mt. Gilbert. Prominent peaks further south are Wines, King, Tipton, and Pearl Peaks. To the north are Old-Man-of-the-Mountain and Soldier Peaks.
Glaciers often gouged out basins that are now alpine lakes. The larger of these include Echo, Liberty, Favre, Lamoille, Castle, and Griswold Lakes, while smaller tarns include the scenic Island, Dollar, Verdi, Snow, Box, and Seitz Lakes. Further to the north are Cold, Hidden, Soldier and Robinson Lakes, while to the south are North Furlong and Overland Lakes. Water collected by the southern section of the Rubies seeps into the adjacent Ruby Valley to form the Ruby Lake National Wildlife Refuge.
of the Sierra Nevada range. Moisture collected by this high range promoted the heavy Pleistocene
glaciation and still supports a wide variety of flora and fauna. Lower elevations are covered by aspen
trees, while higher up the whitebark
and limber
pines predominate. Mountain goat
s, bighorn sheep
, mule deer, mountain lions, marmot
s, beaver
, and pika
s are common residents. A population of Himalayan Snowcock
was introduced from Pakistan, and is thriving among the high cliffs. Streams, particularly on the western slopes have populations of native Lahontan
or Humboldt Cutthroat Trout, but many of these populations are hybridized with Rainbow Trout
or have been displaced by Brown
and Brook
Trout, all stocked for angling purposes before impacts on native trout species were well understood.
. Normal faults on the eastern and western flanks of the range separate it from the basins on either side of it. The Ruby Mountains are an example of a metamorphic core complex
, and middle and lower crustal rocks have been exhumed to the surface in the footwall of a large detachment fault
. A mylonitic
shear zone
can be traced along the fault on the western margin of the Ruby Mountains, marking the contact between the igneous
and metamorphic rock
s in the core complex and the undeformed sedimentary rock
s around it. Generally deeper rocks are exposed in the northern part of the Ruby Mountains than in the south.
in 1989. The isolated Seitz and Echo Canyons are further preserved as an ecologically special Research Natural Area.
The Ruby Crest National Recreation Trail
winds from Harrison Pass northward about 40 mi (64.4 km) to the Road's End Trailhead high in Lamoille Canyon. Principal recreational access can be found at Lamoille and Soldier Canyons on the west side of the range, and at the Overland Lake Trailhead to the east. The Ruby Mountains are included in the Ruby Mountains Ranger District of Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest
.
Great Basin
The Great Basin is the largest area of contiguous endorheic watersheds in North America and is noted for its arid conditions and Basin and Range topography that varies from the North American low point at Badwater Basin to the highest point of the contiguous United States, less than away at the...
in the western United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. They are the predominant range in Elko County
Elko County, Nevada
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 45,291 people, 15,638 households, and 11,493 families residing in the county. The population density was 3/sq mi . There were 18,456 housing units at an average density of 1/sq mi...
, in the northeastern section of the state of Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
. To the north is Secret Pass and the East Humboldt Range
East Humboldt Range
The East Humboldt Range is a line of mountains in northeastern Nevada in the Great Basin region of the western United States. It located in central Elko County in the upper watershed of the Humboldt River, which flows to the southwest from its source just north of the range.The East Humboldts run...
, and from there the Rubies run south-southwest for about 80 miles (128.7 km). To the east lies Ruby Valley
Ruby Valley
Ruby Valley is a large basin located in south-central Elko and northern White Pine Counties in the northeastern section of the state of Nevada in the western United States. From Secret Pass it runs south-southwest for approximately 60 miles to Overland Pass...
, and to the west lie Huntington and Lamoille Valleys. The highest peak is Ruby Dome
Ruby Dome
Ruby Dome, the highest peak of the Ruby Mountains and Elko County, is located in northeastern Nevada in the western United States. It rises from a base elevation of about to a height of . It is located about southeast of the city of Elko....
11387 feet (3,470.8 m), located at 40°37.3'N and 115°28.5'W in the central core of the range, about 21 mi (33.8 km) southeast of the community of Elko
Elko, Nevada
Elko is a city in Elko County, Nevada, United States. The population was 18,297 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Elko County. The city straddles the Humboldt River....
.
The 'Rubies' were named after the garnet
Garnet
The garnet group includes a group of minerals that have been used since the Bronze Age as gemstones and abrasives. The name "garnet" may come from either the Middle English word gernet meaning 'dark red', or the Latin granatus , possibly a reference to the Punica granatum , a plant with red seeds...
s found by early explorers. The central core of the range shows extensive evidence of glaciation
Glacier
A glacier is a large persistent body of ice that forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation over many years, often centuries. At least 0.1 km² in area and 50 m thick, but often much larger, a glacier slowly deforms and flows due to stresses induced by its weight...
during recent ice age
Ice age
An ice age or, more precisely, glacial age, is a generic geological period of long-term reduction in the temperature of the Earth's surface and atmosphere, resulting in the presence or expansion of continental ice sheets, polar ice sheets and alpine glaciers...
s, including U-shaped canyons
Valley
In geology, a valley or dale is a depression with predominant extent in one direction. A very deep river valley may be called a canyon or gorge.The terms U-shaped and V-shaped are descriptive terms of geography to characterize the form of valleys...
, moraine
Moraine
A moraine is any glacially formed accumulation of unconsolidated glacial debris which can occur in currently glaciated and formerly glaciated regions, such as those areas acted upon by a past glacial maximum. This debris may have been plucked off a valley floor as a glacier advanced or it may have...
s, hanging valley
Valley
In geology, a valley or dale is a depression with predominant extent in one direction. A very deep river valley may be called a canyon or gorge.The terms U-shaped and V-shaped are descriptive terms of geography to characterize the form of valleys...
s, and steeply carved granite mountains
Pyramidal peak
A pyramidal peak, or sometimes in its most extreme form called a glacial horn, is a mountaintop that has been modified by the action of ice during glaciation and frost weathering...
, cliffs
Arete
Areté is the term meaning "virtue" or "excellence", from Greek ἈρετήArete may also be used:*as a given name of persons or things:**Queen Arete , a character in Homer's Odyssey.***197 Arete, an asteroid....
, and cirque
Cirque
Cirque may refer to:* Cirque, a geological formation* Makhtesh, an erosional landform found in the Negev desert of Israel and Sinai of Egypt*Cirque , an album by Biosphere* Cirque Corporation, a company that makes touchpads...
s. All of these features can be seen from the 12-mile paved National Forest Scenic Byway up Lamoille Canyon
Lamoille Canyon
Lamoille Canyon is the largest valley in the Ruby Mountains, located in the central portion of Elko County in the northeastern section of the state of Nevada, in the western United States. Approximately in length, it was extensively sculpted by glaciers in previous ice ages.Lamoille Canyon begins...
, which enters the range near the town of Lamoille
Lamoille, Nevada
Lamoille is a rural unincorporated community in Elko County in the northeastern section of the state of Nevada in the western United States. It is located about east of Elko at the base of the Ruby Mountains at an elevation of and is part of the Elko Micropolitan Statistical Area.The early...
.
Major Features
Major valleys include Lamoille Canyon (and its branches Thomas and Right Fork Canyons), Seitz Canyon/Echo Lake, Box, and Kleckner Canyons. Canyons to the north drain into the Humboldt River, while a group of canyons above the Te-Moak tribal landsTe-Moak Tribe of Western Shoshone Indians of Nevada
The Te-Moak Tribe of Western Shoshone Indians of Nevada is a federally recognized tribe of Western Shoshone Indians in northeastern Nevada.-History:The tribe organized under the 1934 Indian Reorganization Act...
constitute the headwaters of the South Fork of the Humboldt River. Major summits include Ruby Dome, Ruby Pyramid, Thomas Peak, Liberty Peak, Mount Fitzgerald, Verdi Peaks, Snow Lake Peak, Mt. Silliman, and Mt. Gilbert. Prominent peaks further south are Wines, King, Tipton, and Pearl Peaks. To the north are Old-Man-of-the-Mountain and Soldier Peaks.
Glaciers often gouged out basins that are now alpine lakes. The larger of these include Echo, Liberty, Favre, Lamoille, Castle, and Griswold Lakes, while smaller tarns include the scenic Island, Dollar, Verdi, Snow, Box, and Seitz Lakes. Further to the north are Cold, Hidden, Soldier and Robinson Lakes, while to the south are North Furlong and Overland Lakes. Water collected by the southern section of the Rubies seeps into the adjacent Ruby Valley to form the Ruby Lake National Wildlife Refuge.
Ecology
The eastern Great Basin is wetter than the western part in the rain shadowRain shadow
A rain shadow is a dry area on the lee side of a mountainous area. The mountains block the passage of rain-producing weather systems, casting a "shadow" of dryness behind them. As shown by the diagram to the right, the warm moist air is "pulled" by the prevailing winds over a mountain...
of the Sierra Nevada range. Moisture collected by this high range promoted the heavy Pleistocene
Pleistocene
The Pleistocene is the epoch from 2,588,000 to 11,700 years BP that spans the world's recent period of repeated glaciations. The name pleistocene is derived from the Greek and ....
glaciation and still supports a wide variety of flora and fauna. Lower elevations are covered by aspen
Aspen
Populus section Populus, of the Populus genus, includes the aspen trees and the white poplar Populus alba. The five typical aspens are all native to cold regions with cool summers, in the north of the Northern Hemisphere, extending south at high altitudes in the mountains. The White Poplar, by...
trees, while higher up the whitebark
Whitebark Pine
Pinus albicaulis, known commonly as Whitebark Pine, Pitch Pine, Scrub Pine, and Creeping Pine occurs in the mountains of the Western United States and Canada, specifically the subalpine areas of the Sierra Nevada, the Cascade Range, the Pacific Coast Ranges, and the northern Rocky Mountains –...
and limber
Limber Pine
The Limber Pine, Pinus flexilis, is a species of pine tree-the family Pinaceae that occurs in the mountains of the Western United States, Mexico, and Canada. It is also called Southwestern White Pine and Rocky Mountain White Pine...
pines predominate. Mountain goat
Mountain goat
The Mountain Goat , also known as the Rocky Mountain Goat, is a large-hoofed mammal found only in North America. Despite its vernacular name, it is not a member of Capra, the genus of true goats...
s, bighorn sheep
Bighorn Sheep
The bighorn sheep is a species of sheep in North America named for its large horns. These horns can weigh up to , while the sheep themselves weigh up to . Recent genetic testing indicates that there are three distinct subspecies of Ovis canadensis, one of which is endangered: Ovis canadensis sierrae...
, mule deer, mountain lions, marmot
Marmot
The marmots are a genus, Marmota, of squirrels. There are 14 species in this genus.Marmots are generally large ground squirrels. Those most often referred to as marmots tend to live in mountainous areas such as the Alps, northern Apennines, Eurasian steppes, Carpathians, Tatras, and Pyrenees in...
s, beaver
Beaver
The beaver is a primarily nocturnal, large, semi-aquatic rodent. Castor includes two extant species, North American Beaver and Eurasian Beaver . Beavers are known for building dams, canals, and lodges . They are the second-largest rodent in the world...
, and pika
Pika
The pika is a small mammal, with short limbs, rounded ears, and short tail. The name pika is used for any member of the Ochotonidae, a family within the order of lagomorphs, which also includes the Leporidae . One genus, Ochotona, is recognised within the family, and it includes 30 species...
s are common residents. A population of Himalayan Snowcock
Himalayan Snowcock
The Himalayan Snowcock is a snowcock in the pheasant family Phasianidae found across the Himalayan ranges and parts of the adjoining Pamir range of Asia. It is found on alpine pastures and on steep rocky cliffs where they will dive down the hill slopes to escape. It overlaps with the slightly...
was introduced from Pakistan, and is thriving among the high cliffs. Streams, particularly on the western slopes have populations of native Lahontan
Lahontan cutthroat trout
Lahontan cutthroat trout is the largest subspecies of cutthroat trout, and the state fish of Nevada.-Natural history:...
or Humboldt Cutthroat Trout, but many of these populations are hybridized with Rainbow Trout
Rainbow trout
The rainbow trout is a species of salmonid native to tributaries of the Pacific Ocean in Asia and North America. The steelhead is a sea run rainbow trout usually returning to freshwater to spawn after 2 to 3 years at sea. In other words, rainbow trout and steelhead trout are the same species....
or have been displaced by Brown
Brown trout
The brown trout and the sea trout are fish of the same species....
and Brook
Brook trout
The brook trout, Salvelinus fontinalis, is a species of fish in the salmon family of order Salmoniformes. In many parts of its range, it is known as the speckled trout or squaretail. A potamodromous population in Lake Superior are known as coaster trout or, simply, as coasters...
Trout, all stocked for angling purposes before impacts on native trout species were well understood.
Geology
The Ruby Mountains are part of the Basin and Range Province that formed as a result of extension of the North American plateNorth American Plate
The North American Plate is a tectonic plate covering most of North America, Greenland, Cuba, Bahamas, and parts of Siberia, Japan and Iceland. It extends eastward to the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and westward to the Chersky Range in eastern Siberia. The plate includes both continental and oceanic crust...
. Normal faults on the eastern and western flanks of the range separate it from the basins on either side of it. The Ruby Mountains are an example of a metamorphic core complex
Metamorphic core complex
Metamorphic core complexes are exposures of deep crust exhumed in association with largely amagmatic extension. They form, and are exhumed, through relatively fast transport of middle and lower continental crust to the Earth's surface...
, and middle and lower crustal rocks have been exhumed to the surface in the footwall of a large detachment fault
Detachment fault
Detachment faulting is associated with large-scale extensional tectonics. Detachment faults often have very large displacements and juxtapose unmetamorphosed hanging walls against medium to high-grade metamorphic footwalls that are called metamorphic core complexes...
. A mylonitic
Mylonite
Mylonite is a fine-grained, compact rock produced by dynamic recrystallization of the constituent minerals resulting in a reduction of the grain size of the rock. It is classified as a metamorphic rock...
shear zone
Shear zone
A shear zone is a very important structural discontinuity surface in the Earth's crust and upper mantle. It forms as a response to inhomogeneous deformation partitioning strain into planar or curviplanar high-strain zones. Intervening blocks stay relatively unaffected by the deformation...
can be traced along the fault on the western margin of the Ruby Mountains, marking the contact between the igneous
Igneous rock
Igneous rock is one of the three main rock types, the others being sedimentary and metamorphic rock. Igneous rock is formed through the cooling and solidification of magma or lava...
and metamorphic rock
Metamorphic rock
Metamorphic rock is the transformation of an existing rock type, the protolith, in a process called metamorphism, which means "change in form". The protolith is subjected to heat and pressure causing profound physical and/or chemical change...
s in the core complex and the undeformed sedimentary rock
Sedimentary rock
Sedimentary rock are types of rock that are formed by the deposition of material at the Earth's surface and within bodies of water. Sedimentation is the collective name for processes that cause mineral and/or organic particles to settle and accumulate or minerals to precipitate from a solution....
s around it. Generally deeper rocks are exposed in the northern part of the Ruby Mountains than in the south.
Wilderness Area
The higher altitude sections of the range were designated as the 90000 acres (36,421.7 ha) Ruby Mountains Wilderness AreaRuby Mountains Wilderness
The Ruby Mountains Wilderness is a protected wilderness area in the Ruby Mountains of Elko County, in the northeast section of the state of Nevada in the western United States. It covers an area of approximately 90,000 acres , and is administered by the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest.-External...
in 1989. The isolated Seitz and Echo Canyons are further preserved as an ecologically special Research Natural Area.
The Ruby Crest National Recreation Trail
Ruby Crest National Recreation Trail
right|Location of the Ruby Crest Trail within Nevada.right|thumb|Overland Lakeright|thumb|North Furlong Lakeright|thumb|Lamoille Lake and Dollar Lakes...
winds from Harrison Pass northward about 40 mi (64.4 km) to the Road's End Trailhead high in Lamoille Canyon. Principal recreational access can be found at Lamoille and Soldier Canyons on the west side of the range, and at the Overland Lake Trailhead to the east. The Ruby Mountains are included in the Ruby Mountains Ranger District of Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest
Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest
The Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest is the principal U.S. National Forest located in the U.S. state of Nevada. With an area of , it is the largest National Forest of the United States outside of Alaska...
.