The Stillwater Range is a
mountain range
A mountain range or hill range is a series of mountains or hills arranged in a line and connected by high ground. A mountain system or mountain belt is a group of mountain ranges with similarity in form, structure, and alignment that have arise ...
located in western
Nevada
Nevada ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, Western region of the United States. It is bordered by Oregon to the northwest, Idaho to the northeast, California to the west, Arizona to the southeast, and Utah to the east. N ...
in the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
. It is a SSW-NNE running ridge, approximately long. It cuts across the center of
Churchill County and extends partway into
Pershing County
Pershing County is a county in the U.S. state of Nevada. As of the 2020 census, the population was 6,650. Its county seat is Lovelock. The county was named after army general John J. Pershing (1860–1948). It was formed from Humboldt County ...
.
The Stillwater Range separates the
Carson Sink
Carson Sink is a playa in the northeastern portion of the Carson Desert in present-day Nevada, United States of America, that was formerly the terminus of the Carson River. Today the sink is fed by drainage canals of the Truckee-Carson Irrigat ...
(to the west) from
Dixie Valley
The Dixie Valley is an endorheic basin which had plentiful ground water (free-flowing artesian wells) around which ranches were built. Prior to the US Navy TOPGUN school moving from California to Nevada, the valley was purchased in 1995 for $10 ...
(to the east). To the north, a low pass separates it from the
East Range. To the south, the Sand Springs Pass separates it from the
Sand Springs Range The Sand Springs Range is a short mountain range located in western Nevada in the United States within the Great Basin. It is approximately long and is in Churchill County. It separates Salt Wells (to the west) from Fairview Valley (to the e ...
. Nestled against the south end of the range is Sand Mountain, an enormous tall
sand dune
A dune is a landform composed of wind- or water-driven sand. It typically takes the form of a mound, ridge, or hill. An area with dunes is called a dune system or a dune complex. A large dune complex is called a dune field, while broad, fl ...
which draws off-road vehicle enthusiasts from across Nevada and
California
California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...
.
A series of
earthquake
An earthquake (also known as a quake, tremor or temblor) is the shaking of the surface of the Earth resulting from a sudden release of energy in the Earth's lithosphere that creates seismic waves. Earthquakes can range in intensity, from ...
s measuring 6.6–7.1 on the
Richter Scale
The Richter scale —also called the Richter magnitude scale, Richter's magnitude scale, and the Gutenberg–Richter scale—is a measure of the strength of earthquakes, developed by Charles Francis Richter and presented in his landmark 1935 ...
, centered beneath or near the Stillwater Range, occurred between July and December 1954. As the area was then (and still is) sparsely populated, no fatalities and little property damage resulted. Extensive surface rupturing can be seen on the east slope of the range.
Several small mines can be found in the cliffsides of the mountains, many of which may not be marked on maps. Water running off the mountains is sometimes used to irrigate alfalfa fields. A notable point is the Steam Tractor Trail that begins of the eastern side. At the top of the trail is a steam tractor that was left there when the road was originally made.
The principal peaks of the Stillwater Range include
Table Mountain
Table Mountain ( naq, Huriǂoaxa, lit= sea-emerging; af, Tafelberg) is a flat-topped mountain forming a prominent landmark overlooking the city of Cape Town in South Africa. It is a significant tourist attraction, with many visitors using the ...
(),
Mount Lincoln Mount Lincoln may refer to one of several mountains located in the United States:
{{Mountainindex, Lincoln ...
() and
Job Peak
Job Peak is a summit in the U.S. state of Nevada
Nevada ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, Western region of the United States. It is bordered by Oregon to the northwest, Idaho to the northeast, California to the west ...
().
Notes
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Mountain ranges of Nevada
Mountain ranges of the Great Basin
Mountain ranges of Churchill County, Nevada
Mountain ranges of Pershing County, Nevada