Black Rock Desert

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The Black Rock Desert is a semi-arid region <(> in the vast expanse of the Great Basin ecotourism area) , from lava and playa beds, or alkaline plains, located in Black Rock Desert-High Rock Canyon Emigrant Trails National Conservation Area, a 100 mile (100 mi) mud plateau north of Reno, Nevada which covers over 300,000 acres (120,000 ha) of land and contains more than 120 miles (200 km) of historic trails. It is in the northern part of Nevada from the Great Basin with the lake bottom which is the dry remains of the Pleistocene of Lake Lahontan.

The Great Basin, named for geography where water can not flow out and remain in the hollow, is a rough ground surrounded by hundreds of mountains, dried by wind and sun, with spectacular sky and beautiful scenery. The average annual rainfall (1971-2000) in Gerlach, Nevada (extreme southwest of the desert) is 7.90 inches (200 mm).

This area is famous for its paleogeological features, as a 19th-century Emigrant Trails area to California, as a place for rocketry, and as an alternative to the Bonneville Salt Flats in northwest Utah, for setting ground speed records (Mach 1.02 in 1997). ). It is also the site of the annual Burning Man festival.

The Black Rock desert is part of the National Conservation Area (NCA), a unit of the National Landscape Conservation System (BLM) Bureau of Management (NLS). The NCA is located in northwestern Nevada, and was established by law in 2000. It is a unique combination of desert playa, narrow gorges, and mountainous terrain.

Humans have been in the Black Rock Desert since about 11,000 BC. In 1300 BC, the area was occupied by the Paiute people. Large black rock formations are used as landmarks by Paiute and then emigrants cross the area. The remains are cone-shaped outcrops consisting of Permian sea limestone and volcanic rocks. It is basically a large hot spring and grassland, which is an important place for those who cross the desert to California and Oregon. In 1843, John Fremont and his party were the first white people to cross the desert, and his tracks were used by over half of 22,000 gold seekers heading to California after 1849. In 1867, Hardin City, a short-lived silver factory town was established (now a ghost town).

Video Black Rock Desert

Geography

The Black Rock Desert region is northwest of Nevada and the Great Basin to the northwest. The playa extends to about 100 mi (160 km) northeast of the cities of Gerlach and Empire, between the Jackson Mountains to the east and the Calico Hills to the west.

The Black Rock desert is separated into two arms by the Black Rock Range. It lies at an altitude of 3,907 feet (1,191 m) and has an area of ​​about 1,000 m² (2,600 km ² ).

There are several possible definitions of the extent of the Black Rock Desert. Often people refer only to the surface of playa. Sometimes a playable field from playa is included. The widest definition of the Black Rock Desert region is the turning point of the hollow that flows into playa. The alternating Quinn River is the largest river in the region, beginning in the Santa Rosa Range and ending at Quinn River Sink in playa south of the Black Rock Range. The watershed covers 11,600 sq mi (30,000 km ² ) including Upper and Lower Quinn Rivers, Smoke River Basins, Massacre Lakes, and Thousand Creek/Virgin Valley Wharves in northwestern Nevada as well as small parts across the California border and Oregon.

If the playa is wet for a month or more, shallow waters are filled with fairy shrimp, or anostraca born from eggs that fall asleep in the mud crust for long periods of time - sometimes for years. The playa edges and Quinn River Sinks remain wetter longer than other parts of the playa, which focus on fairy shrimp and migratory birds in the area. More than 250 species of neo-tropical migratory birds and many other aquatic birds stop at Black Rock-High Rock Country for different periods of time. When wet, especially in the spring, playa is a favorite place for these winged visitors to rest and feed.

When it rains, playa can become very sticky, jammed into a four-wheel-drive vehicle. Some areas of Black Rock are environmentally sensitive and closed to all vehicles.

The states of Humboldt, Pershing and Washoe in Nevada meet in the Black Rock Desert.

Mountain range

The following mountain ranges are within or adjacent to the Black Rock Desert region.

Geologic features

This desert has many volcanic and geothermal features in the northwestern Nevada volcano region, including two Black Rock Points (west and east) at the southern end of the Black Rock Range and which has a dark Permian volcano rock similar to the dark Permass levee formation of the other Permian in Nevada.

The portion of the Lahontan lake at the base of the Black Rock Desert is generally flat with Lahontan salt bush vegetation, widespread hot springs, and a playa. In the lake area along with mountains, rain shadows produce desert rainfall levels.

The playa of the Black Rock Desert lakebed is ~ 200Ã, sqÃ, mi (520Ã, km ² ) inside an area bounded by Calico Mountains (north), Gerlach (west), Applegate National Historic Trail northeast)), and Union Pacific Railroad (south). The "South Playa" (~ 30 sq mi, with ~ 13Ã, sqÃ, mi (34Ã, km ² ) in Washoe Co.) is between Gerlach and the Southwest Conservation Area (NCA) the northeastern part of the NCA of playa (including ~ 25Ã, sqÃ, mi (65Ã, km ² ) at Humboldt Co) is between the NCA boundary and the Applegate National Historic Trail. A Nobles route between Gerlach and Black Rock Hot Springs extends through the length of the playa. The Quinn River Sink of Quaya River ~ 3Ã, sqÃ, mi (7.8 km ² ) is a Quinn/yawn river dumping ~ 2.75Ã, mi (4.43 km) south-southwest from Black Rock Hot Springs.

Mine

Prospecting and mining have occurred in the Black Rock region since the mid-19th century. US Gypsum Corporation operates a gypsum and drywall mine (brand called Sheetrock) in the Empire, which employs 107 people and produces 266,300 tons of gypsum in 2008.

Allied Nevada Gold Corporation reopened the Hycroft Gold Mine in 2008 after acquiring it from Vista Gold Corp. Hycroft is a mining operation in the Kamma Mountains near Sulfur on the eastern side of the Black Rock Desert. An opal mine is at the bottom of the Calico Hills on the western side of the desert.

Paleontology

Mammary bones that roam about 20,000 BC have been found. In 1979, Mammoth fossils were discovered from fossils. Bone copies are now on display at Nevada State Museum, Carson City.

Maps Black Rock Desert

Note the ground speed

The surface of the Black Rock Desert excavation has led to the use of the area as a proof for an experimental ground vehicle. It was the site of two successful attempts at a world land speed record:

• In 1983, Richard Noble drove a jet-engined Thrust2 to a new record of 634,015 mph (1,020,348 km/h). Noble also leads the team that beat Thrust 2.
• In 1997, ThrustSSC driven by Andy Green became the first in the world, and so far, the only supersonic car, reaching 763,035 mph (1,227,986 km/h).

src: geology.utah.gov

Rocketry notes and experiments

In addition to a flat surface, the distance from populated areas and uncontrolled airspace over the area also attracts experiments with rockets. Here is a summary of the amateur rocket record set in Black Rock:

• On November 23, 1996, the Reaction Research Society launched a rocket of up to 50 miles (80 km) at altitude, a significant jump in the amateur rocket record at the time.
• On May 17, 2004, the Civil Aviation Breakthrough Team (CSXT) launched a rocket to a height of 72 miles (116 km), which is the first amateur rocket to exceed 62.14 miles (100.00 km) KÃÆ'¡rmÃÆ' Needed a path to claim space flights space.

The launch of another rocket that attempted various altitude records or space flight has occurred in Black Rock. In May 1999, JP Aerospace used a rocket (balloon-launched rocket) in a failed suborbital spacecraft effort covered by CNN. The rocket reached 75,000 feet (23,000 m), much less than the Karman Line intended to reach space. CSXT made a failed space launch attempt in 2000 and 2002 before the successful 2004 spacecraft. JP Aerospace returned to the desert in 2009, launching seats to the edge of space for the Space Seat , an advertisement for Toshiba's electronic products. On September 21, 2013, the University of Southern California Rocket Propulsion Laboratory (USCRPL) launched its first space-taking attempt, the Traveler, intended to reach a maximum height of 75 miles (121 km). The rocket suffered a 3.5-second catastrophic failure in flight at an altitude of about 10,000 feet (3,000 m). If successful, Traveler will be the first university/student to design and build a rocket over the 62.14 mile (100.00 km) KÃÆ'¡rmÃÆ'¡n line needed to claim a space flight. The second attempt of RPL, Traveler II, flew in May 2014. It also failed catastrophically, about a second in flight.

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History

Over ~ 15,000 years ago (15 years), the Humboldt River flows into the Sub-Basin of Smoke Creek-Black Rock Desert, and during the Lahontan Lake recession, the river is diverted to the Carson Desert sub-Basin. During Lahontan's highest water level (~ 12.7 tyas), the lakebed is below about 500Ã, ft (150 m) of water, where the sediment accumulates to form a flat lakebed.

The Great Basin tribes inhabited the area of ​​7.0 tya, and Expedition Frà © mà © encountered on the site in 1843, but the Fourth Parallel Survey (1867) conducted its first official exploration. In the late 1840s, Peter Lassen led the California Trail emigrants through Applegate-Lassen Cutoff in the desert, a difficult route that took them hundreds of miles away from California's gold land. In 1910, the West Pacific Feather River Route (Oakland-Salt Lake City) was completed on the east side of the lake bed on the "public route first explored by Lieutenant E.G. Beckwith in 1854 ". In 1927, the desert was used for filming The Winning of Barbara Worth (pilot episode 2003 Mythbusters) also filmed in the area).

In World War II, 973 sq., Mi (2,520 km ² ) from Black Rock Desert was used for USAAF airborne training range, and postwar, the northern United States Navy. Lovelock Aerial Gunnery Range was in the Black Rock Desert area ( Black Rock Desert Gunnery Range was closed in 1964). In 1979, Mammoth fossils of fossils were found along the shores of the lake.

The first "Balls" rocket event was held in the desert in 1993, and in 1998, the first annual Gerlach Dash races from Reno to the desert were held. For his 30th birthday, Black Rock Press (University of Nevada, Reno) published a 1994 desert photo book. The Friends of the Black Rock/High Rock held in 1999, and the Act The next National Conservation Area creates several protected areas in the desert. Also in 2000, Lisa O'Shea died seven days after being poured hot water in Double Hot Springs when she tried to save two dogs, and the Land Management Bureau then fenced "Double Hot".

21st century

Jack Lee Harelson was fined $ 2.5 million in 2002 for the archaeological looting of Gajah Gunung Gajah, and in 2008, an injured man was rescued when a radio pilot asked for help after seeing him lying face down at the bottom of the lake. In 2010, the Winnemucca District Management Bureau (BLM) completed the collection of 1,922 wild horses in the Calico Mountains Complex, of which 39 died of malnutrition due to overgrazing. Currently the location for the annual Burning Man festival.

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Transportation

Nevada State Route 447 is the main highway in the area and connects Gerlach to SR 427 in Wadsworth, Nevada, near Interstate 80. Desertland roads are generally unusable in wet or snow conditions. Old Highway 34 provides access to playa on the west side and to Hualapai Flat. Old Highway 48 (dirt) connecting playa to Lovelock, and Old Highway 49 (Jungo Road, dirt) provides access to the lakebed of the ghost towns of Sulfur and Jungo.

The Feather River Route uses the eastern side of the lake between Sulfur and Gerlach. Light aircraft has landed at the bottom of the lake for the event (the nearby Imperial and Reno-Tahoe International Airports provide commercial services for the area).

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References

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External links

• Media related to Black Rock Desert on Wikimedia Commons

Source of the article : Wikipedia