West Humboldt Range


The West Humboldt Range is a short mountain range in the western Great Basin in northwestern Nevada in the United States.

Geography

The mountain range runs for approximately 40 mi southwest to northeast in northern Churchill County and southern Pershing County. The southwest end of the range is approximately 60 mi ENE of Reno.
The range separates the lower course and terminus- of the Humboldt River and the Humboldt Sink on the northwest side from the expansive Carson Sink on the south and southeast side. Interstate 80 follows the course of the Humboldt along the northwest side of the range. During the last ice age, the range stood along the shore of Lake Lahontan, the prehistoric shorelines and beaches of which are visible along the sides of the range.
Few peaks in the range are named; one of the few with an official name is Topog Peak in northern Churchill County, near the southwestern end of the range.

History

In 1905 the Saurian Expedition, led by John C. Merriam and financed by Annie Alexander, explored the Triassic limestones of the range, discovering 25 specimens of Ichthyosaur.