Pah Rah Range#Olinghouse mining district
{{Short description|Mountain range in Nevada}}
{{Infobox mountain
| name = Pah Rah Range
| native_name =
| other_name =
| etymology =
| photo = Gold-173832.jpg
| photo_caption = Gold from Olinghouse district
| country = United States
| state = Nevada
| region =
| district = Washoe County
| topo_map = Nixon, Wadsworth
and Spanish Springs Valley
15 minute quads
| topo_maker = USGS
| border =
| range_coordinates = {{coord|39|45.3|N|119|27.7|W|type:mountain_scale:300000|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
| highest = Virginia Peak
| elevation_m = 2547
| coordinates =
| length_mi = | length_orientation =
| width_mi = | width_orientation =
| area_mi2 =
| geology =
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| period =
| map = Nevada
| map_caption = location of Pah Rah Range in Nevada{{cite gnis|id=858126|name=Pah Rah Range|accessdate=2009-05-03}}
}}
The Pah Rah Range is a mountain range located in western Nevada in Washoe County just to the northeast of Reno. It is a hook shaped range with the main eastern portion oriented northwest–southeast, approximately {{convert|20|mi|km}} long. The northwest flowing Cottonwood Creek in Warm Springs Valley is bounded on three sides by the range. To the south and east the Truckee River forms the boundary and Pyramid Lake is at the northeast. Spanish Springs Valley north of Reno forms the southwest margin. To the north, the narrow Mullen Pass separates the Pah Rah Range from the Virginia Mountains.
The highest peaks (in order from south to north) are Pond Peak (elevation {{convert|8035|ft|abbr=on}}),Wadsworth, NV, 15 min. topographic quad., USGS, 1957 Virginia Peak (elevation {{convert|8357|ft|abbr=on}}) and Pah Rah Peak (elevation {{convert|8249|ft|abbr=on}}).Nixon, NV, 15 min. topographic quad., USGS, 1957 In the southwest portion Spanish Springs Peak (elevation {{convert|7404|ft|abbr=on}}) is the highest.Spanish Springs Valley, NV, 15 min. topographic quad., USGS, 1957 Both Pond Peak and Virginia Peak host several radio towers. Virginia Peak is also the site of a doppler radar station.
Interstate 80 follows the Truckee River basin to the south of the range. Nevada State Route 445 follows the Spanish Springs Valley to the west of the range, Nevada State Route 446 crosses through Mullen Pass to the north and Nevada State Route 447 follows the lakeshore and the Truckee Valley on the east side of the range.Reno, Nevada–California, 30x60 minute topographic quad., USGS, 1980
The Pyramid Lake Indian Reservation occupies the eastern portion of the range.
"Pah Rah" is a Paiute term which translates roughly to "Lake Mountain" in reference to Pyramid Lake adjacent to the northeast margin of the range. This term applies to the Virginia Mountains better. This apparent mix-up is likely due to confusion on the part of the early surveyors of the region.{{citation needed|date=December 2012}}
Olinghouse mining district
The former community{{GNIS|856334|Olinghouse}} and historic mining district{{GNIS|855163|Olinghouse Mining District}} of Olinghouse is located in the southeastern foothills of the Pah Rah Range about {{convert|8|mi}} WNW of Wadsworth, Nevada and {{convert|2|mi}} east of Pond Peak.Olinghouse, NV, 7.5 minute topographic quad., USGS, 1985 The mines of the district produced gold from placer deposits and veins associated with granite porphyry dikes in a faulted basaltic to andesitic volcanic terrain of Oligocene to Miocene age. Mining for gold as collector's specimens occurred during the late 1990s and early 2000s.[http://www.greatbasinminerals.com/Olinghouse%20Article%20Page.htm Kleine, Scott; Gold Issue, Rocks & Minerals Magazine, Jan-Feb 2004]
The area had four names: White Horse, McLanesville, Ora and finally Olinghouse.{{cite magazine |title=Town with Four Names |first=Doris |last=Cerveri |magazine=Desert Magazine |date=May 1969 |pages=33–34 |url=http://www.swdeserts.com/index_htm_files/196905-DesertMagazine-1969-May.pdf |access-date=April 14, 2020}} The district and the former town that served it were named for Elias Olinghouse, who settled there and ran a mule team transport service.{{cite book|last1=Carlson|first1=Helen S.|title=Nevada place names : a geographical dictionary|date=1985|publisher=University of Nevada Press|location=Reno|isbn=0-87417-094-X|page=180|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BixwbIM7ZvAC&q=Elias+Olinghouse&pg=PA180}}{{cite book | url=http://dwgateway.library.unr.edu/keck/histtopoNV/Origin_of_Place_Names_Files/1941NevadaOriginofNames-pt2.pdf | title=Origin of Place Names: Nevada | publisher=W.P.A. | author=Federal Writers' Project | year=1941 | pages=71}}
The Olinghouse post office was in operation from October 1903 until July 1923.{{GNIS|846284|Olinghouse Post Office}}
{{wide image|Pyramid lake pah rah.jpg|500px|Pyramid Lake viewed from Pah Rah}}
Fauna of Pah Rah Range
Wildlife of the range include pronghorn antelope, bighorn sheep, coyote, mountain lion and the wild horse. The bighorn was seen wandering in the foothills of the range in Sparks(Wingfield Springs).{{cite news |title=Bighorn wanders through Sparks |first=Jeff |last=DeLong |date=January 16, 2015 |newspaper=Reno Gazette-Journal |url=https://www.rgj.com/story/news/2015/01/16/photos-bighorn-ram-wanders-sparks/21873813/ |access-date=April 14, 2020}} It is thought to be from a group of bighorns transplanted to the nearby Virginia Range. Bird species include golden eagles, prairie falcons and red-tailed hawks.{{cite web |title=Nevada - Plant and animal life |publisher=Encyclopædia Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Nevada-state/Plant-and-animal-life |access-date=April 14, 2020}}
{{cite web |title=Official Checklist of the Birds of Nevada |publisher=Great Basin Bird Observatory |url=https://www.gbbo.org/nevada-state-checklist/ |access-date=April 14, 2020}}
{{cite web |title=Pah Rah Virginia PMU Plan: Pah Rah-Virginia Population Management Unit Population Conservation Plan |publisher=Nevada Department of Wildlife |url=http://www.ndow.org/uploadedFiles/ndoworg/Content/Nevada_Wildlife/Sage_Grouse/Pah-Rah-Virginia-PMU-Plan.pdf |access-date=April 14, 2020}}
References
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{{Commons category multi|813 Pit|Olinghouse District}}