Toiyabe Range
Encyclopedia
The Toiyabe Range is a range of mountain
s in central Nevada
in the western United States
. It starts in northwestern Nye County
north of Tonopah, Nevada
and runs approximately 120 miles (190 km) north-northeast through eastern Lander County
, making it the second longest range in the state. The highest point in the range, near its southern end, is Arc Dome
(11,788 feet, 3592 m), an area protected as the Arc Dome Wilderness
.
to develop alpine glacier
s in several places, with cirque
s, moraine
s, and other glacial features still apparent. There are numerous hiking routes in the Toiyabes, including one along the crest.
The Toiyabe Range is separated from the Shoshone Mountains
to the west by the Reese River Valley
, although they intermingle at their southern extremes. On the east the Toiyabe Range is separated from the Toquima Range
by the Big Smoky Valley
.
The historic mining community of Austin
is located on the western slope of the Toiyabe Range, about midway along its length. U.S. Route 50
, the "Loneliest Highway in America", runs through Austin and then crosses the range at Scotts Summit at an elevation of 7,484 feet (2,281 m). U.S. Route 6
passes to the south of the range between Tonopah
and Ely
.
of the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest
. The Army Corps of Engineers constructed the trail and its many "feeder" trails in the 1930s. It travels through one of the longest roadless areas in the state, and sits atop the longest mountain range in Nevada at over 120 miles long. It is the longest continuous maintained trail in Nevada.
Its northern terminus, with an altitude of approximately 7,500 ft, is the trailhead on Kingston Creek Road and its southern terminus, with an altitude of approximately 6,100 ft, is the trailhead on Twin River Road(Forest route 080); both of which are roads off SR376
.
Mountain
Image:Himalaya_annotated.jpg|thumb|right|The Himalayan mountain range with Mount Everestrect 58 14 160 49 Chomo Lonzorect 200 28 335 52 Makalurect 378 24 566 45 Mount Everestrect 188 581 920 656 Tibetan Plateaurect 250 406 340 427 Rong River...
s in central 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...
in the western United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It starts in northwestern Nye County
Nye County, Nevada
-National protected areas:* Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge* Death Valley National Park * Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest * Spring Mountains National Recreation Area -Demographics:...
north of Tonopah, Nevada
Tonopah, Nevada
Tonopah is a census-designated place located in and the county seat of Nye County, Nevada. It is located at the junction of U.S. Routes 6 and 95 approximately mid-way between Las Vegas and Reno....
and runs approximately 120 miles (190 km) north-northeast through eastern Lander County
Lander County, Nevada
Lander County is a county located in the U.S. state of Nevada. As of the 2000 census, the population was 5,794. Its county seat is Battle Mountain.-History:...
, making it the second longest range in the state. The highest point in the range, near its southern end, is Arc Dome
Arc Dome
Arc Dome is the high point of the Toiyabe Range in northwestern Nye County, in central Nevada in the western United States. It is one of the most prominent peaks in the contiguous states...
(11,788 feet, 3592 m), an area protected as the Arc Dome Wilderness
Arc Dome Wilderness
The Arc Dome Wilderness is a protected wilderness area in the Toiyabe Range of Nye County, in the central section of the state of Nevada in the western United States. It covers an area of approximately , Nevada’s largest Wilderness area...
.
Geography
Although the Toiyabe Range is in the rain shadow of the higher Sierra Nevada (U.S.) range to the west and is too arid to support forests except for scattered pines, the climate was cold and snowy enough during the PleistocenePleistocene
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 ....
to develop alpine glacier
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...
s in several places, with 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, 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, and other glacial features still apparent. There are numerous hiking routes in the Toiyabes, including one along the crest.
The Toiyabe Range is separated from the Shoshone Mountains
Shoshone Mountains
also located in Nye County.The Shoshone Mountains, in central Nevada, make up one of the longest mountain ranges in the state. The range runs in a north-south direction, mostly in Nye County, but also occupies part of Lander County...
to the west by the Reese River Valley
Reese River
The Reese River is a tributary of the Humboldt River, located in central Nevada in the western United States. It rises in the southern section of the Toiyabe Range, on the flanks of Arc Dome...
, although they intermingle at their southern extremes. On the east the Toiyabe Range is separated from the Toquima Range
Toquima Range
The Toquima Range is a line of mountains in northwestern Nye County, in central Nevada in the western United States. From Hickson Summit on U.S. Route 50, the range runs for approximately 71 miles to the south-southwest. To its west are Big Smoky Valley, scenic State Route 376, and the large...
by the Big Smoky Valley
Big Smoky Valley
The Big Smoky Valley is a landform of the Tonopah Basin between the Toiyabe and Toquima mountain ranges. It is about 100 miles in length, and is known by other names : including Great Smoky Valley, Smokey Valley, Smoky Valley, Wen-A-No-Nu-Fee Valley, and Won-A-No-Nu-Fee Valley. The U.S...
.
The historic mining community of Austin
Austin, Nevada
Austin is a small, unincorporated community located in Lander County, Nevada, in the United States. As of 2004, its population is approximately 340. It is located on the western slopes of the Toiyabe Range at an elevation of . U.S...
is located on the western slope of the Toiyabe Range, about midway along its length. U.S. Route 50
U.S. Route 50
U.S. Route 50 is a major east–west route of the U.S. Highway system, stretching just over from Ocean City, Maryland on the Atlantic Ocean to West Sacramento, California. Until 1972, when it was replaced by Interstate Highways west of the Sacramento area, it extended to San Francisco, near...
, the "Loneliest Highway in America", runs through Austin and then crosses the range at Scotts Summit at an elevation of 7,484 feet (2,281 m). U.S. Route 6
U.S. Route 6
U.S. Route 6 , also called the Grand Army of the Republic Highway, a name that honors an American Civil War veterans association, is a main route of the U.S. Highway system, running east-northeast from Bishop, California to Provincetown, Massachusetts. Until 1964, it continued south from Bishop to...
passes to the south of the range between Tonopah
Tonopah, Nevada
Tonopah is a census-designated place located in and the county seat of Nye County, Nevada. It is located at the junction of U.S. Routes 6 and 95 approximately mid-way between Las Vegas and Reno....
and Ely
Ely, Nevada
Ely is the largest city and county seat of White Pine County, Nevada, United States. Ely was founded as a stagecoach station along the Pony Express and Central Overland Route. Ely's mining boom came later than the other towns along US 50, with the discovery of copper in 1906...
.
Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest
The Toiyabe Range is in the Austin Ranger DistrictAustin Ranger District
Austin Ranger District one of ten ranger districts in Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest in the US state of Nevada.-Location:Austin Ranger District is over in size and is located east of Reno in north, central area of Nevada. U.S. Hwy 50, which has been called America's loneliest highway, passes...
of the 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...
Toiyabe Crest Trail
The National Recreation Toiyabe Crest Trail runs through the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest in the Toiyabe Range, consisting of over 70 miles of trail atop the ridge, 30 miles of which travel through the Arc Dome WildernessArc Dome Wilderness
The Arc Dome Wilderness is a protected wilderness area in the Toiyabe Range of Nye County, in the central section of the state of Nevada in the western United States. It covers an area of approximately , Nevada’s largest Wilderness area...
. The Army Corps of Engineers constructed the trail and its many "feeder" trails in the 1930s. It travels through one of the longest roadless areas in the state, and sits atop the longest mountain range in Nevada at over 120 miles long. It is the longest continuous maintained trail in Nevada.
Trailheads
Its northern terminus, with an altitude of approximately 7,500 ft, is the trailhead on Kingston Creek Road and its southern terminus, with an altitude of approximately 6,100 ft, is the trailhead on Twin River Road(Forest route 080); both of which are roads off SR376
Nevada State Route 376
State Route 376 is a state highway in central Nevada in the United States. It connects U.S. Route 6 near Tonopah north to U.S. Route 50 near Austin...
.