THE OVEELAND EOUTE OGDEN TO SAN FRANCISCO. 177 



L the much lower southern division .of the West Hum- 

 sometimes called the Humboldt Lake Mountains. The 



Im 



sea 



leyeL 



Peak 



tioii. All along the rugged slopes facing the railroad and also on the 

 opposite side of the range arc prospects and mines. One mine, the 

 Star Peak; which is being worked, is almost at the summit of the peak 

 whose name it bears. The Rosebud district^ about 28 miles north- 



Mm 



boom 



rapidly built, to be as quickly abandoned. 



A town was 



Some mo 



Pacific 



calcareous tufa. Each mound has an opening at the top hned 

 with crj^stallized gypsum and sulphur. These deposits were un- 

 doubtedly made by hot springs that are now extinct. Small pits 

 and an old retort just west of Humboldt mark the site of some old 

 works on these sulphur deposits, but the supply was evidently too 

 small to be of economic importance. 



Beyond Humboldt the railroad continues down the east side of the 

 valley over a broad, gently sloping plain of stony detritus and sand, 

 washed down from the mountains. Valery is a sidetrack and loadino- 

 platform for the Star Peak mine. The mining camp may be seen by 

 looking sharply at the right-hand end of along, dark rocky ridge near 



the crest of the range. 



mil 



The 



gravel 



larly late in the afternoon of a clear day. From the rear platform 

 there is now a fine view of the higher part of the "West Humboldt 

 Range, which shows a lofty continuous crest with exceedingly steep 

 rocky slopes that contrast sharply with the smoothly graded alluvial 

 fans that spread out from the canyon mouths and coalesce into a 

 gently sloping plain reaching down to the river. 



Tlie old hotel building which serves as the station called Rye Patch 

 is a relic of the boom days of the old Rye Patch mine. The name 



Rye Patch refers to the wild rye grass that formerly 

 Rye Patch. ^^^^^ abundantly about the place. The :Rye Patch 



S^'^f ?.tf ^f ^* mine, about 5 mHes east of the station, produced 



Omaha 1,41b miles. ' , ^ ' ^ _ 



much, silver ore in the early seventies, but has lain 

 idle for over 20 years. Lately a cyanide plant has been installed, 

 and the old dump is being reworked. The ore occurred in limestone, 

 probably of Triassic age. 



if ter passhig Rye Patch the train runs nearly due south, the track 

 lying well up on the broad, gently sloping alluvial plain between 



92213°— Bull, 612—15 -12 



