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THE 
AMERICAN GEOLOGIST. 
Vor. XXIX. MAY, 1902. No. 5. 
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A SKETCH OF THE HISTORICAL GEOLOGY OF 
ESMERALDA COUNTY, NEVADA. 
By H. W. TurNgr, San Francisco, Cal. 
PLATE XVII. 
The following sketch embodies a brief statement of the re- 
sults of a thorough examination of a small area about tlic 
Siiver Peak range and a general reconnaissance of Esmeralda 
county, south of Walker lake. 
GEOGRAPHY. 
Esmeralda county forms a portion of south-western Ne 
vada, and fies wholly in the Great Basin, the drainage of 
which finds no outlet to the sea. The area here treated lies 
chiefly between parallels 38’ and 37° north latitude, covering 
abeut G,0c0 square miles. 
At the north end of the county at the west of Walker lake 
is the Wassuck range, the highest point of which, Mt. Grant 
attains an altitude of 11,247 feet. Further to the south is the 
niajestic Invo range, culminating in White mountain which is 
14,200 feet in hight, but only the eastern flanks of the north 
end of this range are within the limits of the county. The 
Silver Peak range attains an altitude of 9,500 feet, Lone moun- 
tain, 9,510 feet, and a high range in the south end of the 
county known as the Grape Vine mountains also reaches a 
considerable elevation. 
Taken as a whole, the region is extremely arid and is 
characterized by a sparse vegetation except along the tops of 
the highest ridges. The ranges in general have a north-soutii 
trend, and are separated by wide valleys which often contain 
