Surficial Geologic Map of the Darwin Hills 30’ x 

60’ Quadrangle, Inyo County, California

By A.S. Jayko 

Pamphlet to accompany 

Scientific Investigations Map 3040 

2009

U.S. Department of the Interior 

U.S. Geological Survey 
2

Introduction 

This map shows the distribution of surficial deposits within the Darwin Hills 30’ x 60’ 

quadrangle, Inyo County, California, located between 36o to 36.5o latitude and 117o to 

118o longitude. The quadrangle extends from the southern Owens Valley and Coso 

Range on the west to the northern and central Panamint Range on the east. Four 

additional 7.5’ quadrangles are included along the westernmost edge of the quadrangle 

adjacent to the Sierra Nevada range front to completely show the west side of the Owens 

Valley basin area. A limited time period was available for mapping the quadrangle; field 

studies were conducted during the field seasons from 2001 until 2004. Remote sensing 

images, digital orthophoto quadrangles, and 1:80,000-scale air photos were used 

extensively to delineate map units in addition to field observations. 

The map area consists of four principal geologic and geomorphic domains: Quaternary 

and Pliocene basin deposits, Quaternary and Pliocene volcanic rocks, late Miocene and 

early Pliocene erosional surfaces or peneplains, and Mesozoic or older plutonic and 

metamorphic rocks. There is no preserved lithologic record between about 80 Ma and 13 

Ma in the map area and most of the Tertiary record is not much older than about 6 to 7 

Ma, or early Pliocene and very latest Miocene age. Late Miocene rocks of about 12 to 13 

Ma have been identified on the east flank of the Argus Range near Shepherd Canyon, but 

they occupy less than 1 percent of the map area, although they do occur in much greater 

abundance in adjacent regions south and east of the map area. 

This map shows both conventional geologic units and several geomorphic units that show 

the distribution of pediment surfaces, paleotopography, or other features of tectonic 

significance. Most of the surficial deposits were shed from present-day mountain ranges. 

Older Tertiary sedimentary deposits may in part be derived from an ancestral landscape 

with significantly different headwaters and fluvial systems than are present in the area 

today. 

The basins are dominated by late Quaternary alluvial fan and playa deposits. These 

deposits are regionally differentiated by geomorphic expression, weathering, and 

erosional characteristics in addition to other stratigraphic properties (Birkeland and 

others, 1991; Bull, 1991). The ages of the fan units mainly represent the age of the 

material exposed at the surface (Bull, 1991). Extensive areas consist of a thin veneer of 

alluvial sediment that overlies erosionally developed pediment surfaces. The pediments 

are annotated with a unit symbol that identifies the primary lithology underlying the 

clastic veneer to provide additional information about the subsurface geology. 

In addition to surficial deposits, areas of late Tertiary paleo-erosional surfaces or 

peneplains have also been mapped based on their geomorphic expression, presence of lag 

gravels, and lateral continuity with unconformably overlying late Miocene and (or) 

Pliocene deposits. These relict peneplains provide important strain markers for 

identifying step-faulting, warping, and tilting of blocks within the ranges (a widespread 

component of the late Neogene and Quaternary tectonic activity). 

Significant chronologic studies and geologic mapping preceded this work. The 

geology of five 1:62,500 scale quadrangles within this map area are published (fig. 1). 

Tertiary deposits were mapped in the western part of the quadrangle by Stinson (1977a, 
3

b). Duffield and Bacon (1981) mapped the Quaternary alluvium and volcanic rocks of the 

Coso Volcanic center at 1:50,000 scale. Tertiary volcanic and clastic alluvial deposits 

were mapped in the northeastern part of the quadrangle by Hall (1971). Tertiary, mainly 

Pliocene, basaltic flows are extensive throughout the western and northern parts of the 

map area (Duffield and others, 1980; Bacon and others, 1982; Schweig, 1989) and 

provide important structural and chronological event boundaries. A map showing 

Quaternary faults and lineaments has been published for the east half of the quadrangle at 

1:100,000 scale by Reheis (1991); otherwise, little of the extensive surficial basin 

deposits have been previously mapped in any detail. 

Acknowledgements 

I thank Charlie Bacon, Jack Hillhouse, George Billingsley, and Wendell Duffield for 

helpful comments. In particular, I appreciate George’s suggestions for improving the unit 

descriptions, which were woefully lacking in an early version of the manuscript. I had 

many fruitful discussions with G.I. Smith and Rick Forester about the lacustrine and 

climate history of Panamint and Death Valley areas; and with Chris Menges about 

mapping Quaternary alluvial deposits in Death Valley. I thank Debra Block for 

converting the GIS database from an ArcInfo coverage to an ArcMap database, for 

patience, other special advice and GIS pointers. A special acknowledgment to Carolyn 

Donlin for a meticulous review of the map and text that greatly improved the final 

product. And, last but not least, I thank Friends of the Pleistocene, Pacific Cell members 

for many insightful discussions about desert processes and Quaternary geology on 

excursions to the desert. 
4

DESCRIPTION OF MAP UNITS 

[Some unit exposures on the plotted map are too small to distinguish the color for unit 

identification. These units are labeled where possible, and unlabeled units are attributed 

in the database.] 

SURFICIAL DEPOSITS 

ALLUVIAL DEPOSITS 

Qaw Active wash deposit (Holocene)—Alluvial wash deposits characterized by 

surfaces and wash channels that are active and have received alluvial 

deposits within the last few decades to a century. Composed of 

moderately to poorly sorted buff-colored silt, coarse and fine sand, 

gravel, cobbles, and rare boulders. Unconsolidated. Prone to active 

flooding. Light to moderately vegetated. Little or no soil 

development. Interfingers with Qav and Qaa. Thickness probably 1 to 

2 m 

Qav Active valley-axis deposit (Holocene)—Fine-grained deposits in valley axes 

characterized by anastamosing washes and gentle interfluves, 

primarily transported by water; locally reworked by wind activity to 

form complex interfingering eolian deposits. Composed of moderately 

to poorly sorted cobbles, pebbles, buff or light-colored fine to coarse 

sand, and silt, but dominated by pebbles and finer grained sediment. 

Boulders generally very rare or absent. Unconsolidated. Prone to 

active flooding. Moderately vegetated. Interfingers with Qaw and 

Qaa. Thickness probably 1 to 2 m 

Qaa Active alluvial fan deposit (Holocene)—Alluvial fan deposits characterized 

by surfaces and wash channels that are active, eroding, or received 

stream transported deposits within the last few decades or as much as a 

century. Unconsolidated. Prone to active flooding. Composed of 

moderately to poorly sorted silt, coarse and fine sand, gravel, cobbles, 

and rare boulders. Generally lacks vegetation (commonly active on 

annual basis) or moderately vegetated (active on decadal basis). 

Rough microtopography; strongly developed gravel bar and swale 

(Bull, 1991). The annually active surfaces are typically a small part of 

the unit, and they form discrete channels. Very little or no desert 

varnish on clasts. Little or no soil development 

Qaae where eolian reworking of silt and sand is predominant 

Qaa1 where intermediate between Qaa and Qya. Thickness probably 1 to 2 m

Qyw Young wash deposit (Holocene and late Pleistocene)—Infrequently active 

alluvial wash deposits composed of moderately to poorly sorted silt, 

coarse and fine sand, gravel, cobbles, and rare boulders. 
5

Anastamosing, well developed gravel and cobble bars and swales 

(Bull, 1991). Material transported by water. Unconsolidated. 

Moderately vegetated. May have very weak, dark or blackish desert 

varnish development on clasts. Weakly developed soil, expressed as 

incipient to weak sandy Av horizon; stage I calcic soil weak or absent 

(Birkeland and others, 1991). Thickness probably 2 to 4 m 

Qya Young alluvial fan deposit (Holocene and late Pleistocene)—Alluvial fan 

deposits characterized by alluvial surfaces that no longer receive 

materials. Unconsolidated to slightly compact. Composed of 

moderately to poorly sorted silt, coarse and fine sand, gravel, cobbles, 

and rare boulders; moderately to poorly stratified. Weakly developed 

soil, expressed as incipient to weak sandy Av horizon; stage I calcic 

soil typical (Birkeland and others, 1991). Distinct gravel bar and swale 

microtopography. Moderate to sparsely vegetated, with creosote bush 

and smaller desert shrubs. No desert pavement. Incipient to weak 

desert varnish on clasts (Bull, 1991). Thickness probably 2 to 6 m 

Qyao Young alluvial fan deposit (Holocene and late Pleistocene)—Alluvial fan 

deposits characterized by surfaces that are no longer receiving 

sediment. Unconsolidated to slightly compact. Composed of 

moderately to poorly sorted silt, coarse and fine sand, gravel, cobbles, 

and rare boulders; moderately to poorly stratified. Weakly developed 

soil, expressed as incipient to weak sandy Av horizon and weak cambic 

horizons; stage I calcic soil typical (Birkeland and others, 1991). 

Undulatory microtopography, with moderate to faint remnants of bar 

and swale topography. Moderately to sparsely vegetated by creosote 

bush and smaller desert shrubs. No desert pavement or weak pavement 

on surface of deposit (Bull, 1991). Incipient to weak desert varnish on 

clasts. Thickness probably 2 to 6 m 

Qiw Intermediate wash deposit (late to middle Pleistocene)—Mainly consists of 

inactive alluvial wash deposits. Composed of moderately to poorly 

sorted silt, coarse and fine sand, gravel, cobbles, and rare boulders; 

moderately to poorly stratified. Unconsolidated to slightly compact. 

Weakly developed soil, expressed as incipient to weak sandy Av

horizon and weak cambic horizons; stage I calcic soil typical 

(Birkeland and others, 1991). Fairly smooth microtopography with 

moderate to faint remnants of bar and swale topography (Bull, 1991). 

Moderately to sparsely vegetated, especially with creosote bush and 

smaller shrubs. Weak pavement on surface of deposit. Weak to 

moderate desert varnish on clasts. Surfaces of deposits range from 0.5 

to 10 m above active wash 

Qia Intermediate alluvial fan deposit (late to middle Pleistocene)—Alluvial fan 

deposits characterized by surfaces that have been abandoned by active 

stream or wash activity. Unconsolidated to compacted or cemented. 

Composed of moderately to poorly sorted silt, coarse and fine sand, 
6

gravel, cobbles, and rare boulders; moderately to poorly stratified. 

Characterized by moderately to well developed desert pavement with 

moderate to strong desert varnish on clasts dominated by manganese 

oxide on the top of clasts and iron oxide on the base (Bull, 1991). 

Eolian silts and clays underlying cobbles on pavement surface are 

commonly stained with iron oxides. Flat smooth pavement surface 

may be partly incised by narrow channels or rills. Sparsely vegetated. 

Well-developed silty Av horizon. Moderately to strongly developed Bt

horizon and weak to strong Stage I calcic horizon (Birkeland and 

others, 1991). Surfaces of deposits range from 0.5 to 10 m above 

active wash 

Qiao Intermediate alluvial fan deposit, older (late to middle Pleistocene)—

Alluvial fan deposits characterized by surfaces that have been 

abandoned. Unconsolidated to compacted. Composed of moderately 

to poorly sorted silt, coarse and fine sand, gravel, cobbles, and rare 

boulders; moderately to poorly stratified. Characterized by moderately 

to well developed desert pavement with moderate to strong desert 

varnish on clasts. Flat smooth surface is partly incised by narrow 

channels (Bull, 1991). Sparsely vegetated. Well-developed silty Av

horizon. Moderately to strongly developed Bt horizon and Stage I+ to 

II+ calcic horizon (Birkeland and others, 1991). Surfaces of deposits 

range from 0.5 to 10 m above active wash 

Qoa Old alluvial fan deposit (middle to early Pleistocene)—Alluvial fan 

deposits characterized by degraded remnants of abandoned surfaces. 

Compact to cemented. Composed of moderately to poorly sorted silt, 

coarse and fine sand, gravel, cobbles, and rare boulders; moderately to 

poorly stratified. Moderately vegetated. Commonly forms pale-colored 

bahada above active washes in upper parts of alluvial fans near 

mountain fronts (Bull, 1991). Many clasts on surface commonly made 

up of disaggregated pieces of the pedogenic calcic horizon. Upper soil 

horizons may be stripped off by erosion. Forms rounded, deeply 

dissected terrain with little or no remnant depositional geomorphology; 

a few meters to tens of meters higher than surrounding surfaces. Near 

Ballarat fan, reworked lenticular tuff beds near the base of the exposed 

section have a u-series date of about 0.924 Ma (Vogel and others, 

2002) correlative with the Glass Mountain Tuff and are overlain by a 

1- to 1.5- m-thick tuff inferred to be Bishop Ash and a 3- to 5-m thick 

tuff inferred to be Lava Creek B (about 0.665 Ma, Sarna-Wojcicki and 

others, 2001). Thin-bedded tuff and gray-green mudstone are present 

locally near Lava Creek B Tuff. The deposit is overlain by a flight of 

beach deposits and shoreline benches inferred to be about 150 to 180 

ka or equivalent to marine oxygen isotope stage-6 (Jayko and others, 

2005). Surfaces of deposits range from about 6 to 150 m above active 

wash

Qau Alluvial fan deposit undifferentiated (Quaternary)—Alluvial fan deposits, 
7

undifferentiated. Composed of moderately to poorly sorted silt, coarse 

and fine sand, gravel, cobbles, and rare boulders; moderately to poorly 

stratified. Thickness ranges from 0.5 to 35 m 

QToa Extremely old alluvial fan deposit (early Pleistocene to Pliocene)—

Alluvial fan deposits characterized by eroded surfaces. Compact to 

consolidated or cemented. Composed of moderately to poorly sorted 

silt, coarse and fine sand, gravel, cobbles, and rare boulders; 

moderately to poorly stratified. Moderately vegetated. Forms deeply 

dissected terrain; deposits generally did not form in present 

topography. Most or all soil horizons stripped off by erosion. Unit 

thickness ranges from about 3 to 60 m

QTs Sedimentary rocks (early Pleistocene and (or) late Pliocene)—Clastic 

sedimentary rocks composed of moderately to poorly sorted silt, 

coarse and fine sand, gravel, cobbles, and boulders; moderately to 

poorly stratified. Boulders exposed at the surface may be split and 

disaggragated. Clasts are angular to subrounded, moderately to well 

bedded or massive; matrix supported carbonate cement may be 

present, and carbonate matrix may be 25 to 40 percent of exposure. 

Carbonate cement may be whitish to whitish gray, locally laminated. 

Generally strongly indurated. Maximum thickness about 80 m

PLAYA, PALUDAL, AND LACUSTRINE DEPOSITS 

Qasl Active saline lake deposit (Holocene)—Poorly sorted clay, silt, and fine 

sand in zones of groundwater discharge. Generally pale gray-green 

colored; thin bedded or laminated. Evaporites common at surface. 

Thickness ranges from 10 to 40 cm 

Qsm Active saline marsh deposit (Holocene)—Poorly sorted clay, silt, and fine 

sand in zones of groundwater discharge. Generally pale gray-green 

colored; thin bedded or laminated; intermittent standing saline water. 

Thickness ranges from 10 to 40 cm 

Qap Active playa deposit (Holocene)—Playa deposits that are active and have 

received flood deposits within the last few decades. Generally 

composed of poorly sorted clay, silt, and fine to coarse sand; 

evaporites common. Compact. Generally pale buff white to buff 

colored; may be massive or thin bedded and laminated. Prone to 

flooding. Generally flat, with little or no vegetation. Common saline 

crusts. Thickness ranges from 10 to 30 cm 

Qaps Sandy facies of playa, typically supports sparse vegetation. 

Qapf Active playa fringe with complexly mixed eolian, lacustrine, playa, 

alluvial, groundwater discharge 

Qyp Young playa deposit (Holocene and late Pleistocene)—Playa deposits that 

are occasionally flooded. Composed of silt, clay, and sand; evaporites 
8

common; may be massive or thin bedded and laminated. Generally 

pale buff white to buff colored. Compact. Generally flat, lacks 

vegetation. Thickness ranges from 10 to 40 cm 

Qysl Playa fringe, saline facies 

Qyb Young lacustrine beach deposit (Holocene to late Pleistocene)—Very well 

rounded, locally cross-bedded sand, and gravel to cobble deposits, 

commonly fossiliferous with locally very abundant Anodonta sp.

(bivalve) and gastropod beds found near the margins of the Owens Dry 

Lake and gastropod-bearing horizons common in the intermediate to 

highstand deposits of Panamint Valley; also locally abundant 

ostracode remains; cobbles occasionally rimmed with stromatolitic 

algal tufa; in Owens Valley lower elevation shoreline locally oolitic; 

commonly associated with colonial charophytic algal tufa; deposits 

occur between about 3,550 and 3,800 feet in elevation in Owens 

Valley (Orme and Orme, 1993; Bacon and others, 2006), and between 

about 1,100 and 1,650 feet elevation in Panamint Valley. Mainly 24 ka 

to recent in Owens Valley (Bacon and others, 2006). Thickness ranges 

from 1 to 4 m 

Qyl Young lacustrine deposit (Holocene to late Pleistocene)—Lake deposits, 

consists of clay, silt and fine sand, may be marly in nearshore facies, 

commonly whitish, whitish-buff to pale gray green colored. Locally 

tuffaceous. Commonly thin-bedded, may be laminated. Mainly about 

24 to 12 ka in Panamint Valley (Jayko and others, 2005). Thickness 

ranges from about 1 to 4 m 

Qibg Intermediate lacustrine beach deposit (late to middle Pleistocene)—Very 

well rounded, moderately sorted gravel to cobble deposits, commonly 

fossiliferous with locally very abundant gastropod and ostracode 

remains; cobbles occasionally rimmed with stromatolitic algal tufa; 

commonly associated with colonial charophytic algal tufa; deposits 

occur between about 1,800 and 2,000 feet elevation in Panamint 

Valley, especially prominent at Ash Hill, but unit also occurs 

elsewhere in the basin. Deposits are younger than Qoa (924 to 665 ka) 

near the former town of Ballarat and inferred to be about 150 to 180 ka 

or equivalent to marine oxygen isotope stage-6 (Jayko and others, 

2005). Thickness ranges from about 2 to 15 m 

Qit Intermediate nearshore tufa deposit (late to middle Pleistocene)—Mainly 

charophytic or stromatolitic algal tufa, occasionally has colonial or 

reefal aspect; strongly indurated. Generally pale buff to pale pinkishbuff colored; may be laminated or tubular with secondary silicious 

lamina. In close spatial and temporal association with Qibg; deposits 

occur between about 1,800 and 2,000 feet elevation in Panamint 

Valley, especially prominent at Ash Hill but also present elsewhere in 

the basin. Thickness ranges from about 5 cm to 3 m 

Qil Intermediate lacustrine and deltaic deposits (late to middle Pleistocene)—
9

Lake or wetlands deposits, consists of clay, silt and medium to coarse 

sand, local conglomerate beds; thin bedded and laminated, locally 

crossbedded. May be marly or tufa-bearing in nearshore marsh or 

wetlands facies, may be mollusc-bearing with locally abundant 

gastropod beds. Bivalve (Anodonta ?) is present in deltaic deposits east 

of Panamint Springs resort at about 1,800 feet elevation. Siliceous 

tuffs and diatomite present locally in high-stand shorelines of 

Panamint Valley around 1,800 to1,900 feet in elevation 

Qol Intermediate lacustrine, wetlands and playa deposits (late(?) or middle to 

early Pleistocene)—Lake or wetlands deposits, consists of clay, silt 

and medium to coarse sand, local conglomerate beds; thin bedded and 

laminated, locally crossbedded. May be marly or tufa-bearing. 

Siliceous tuffs and porcelanite present in lake beds exposed in faulted 

horst blocks in southern Panamint Valley. Commonly whitish and (or) 

pale grayish-green colored. Commonly thin-bedded, may be 

laminated. Maximum thickness probably exceeds 40 m 

EOLIAN DEPOSITS 

Qae Active eolian deposit (Holocene)—Eolian sand deposits that are active and 

subject to migration. Unconsolidated. Generally lacks vegetation. 

Composed of light yellowish-buff colored, moderately to well sorted 

fine and medium sand and silt; commonly crossbedded or laminated. 

No soil development. Maximum thickness about 25 m 

Qaed Active eolian dune deposit (Holocene)—Dune morphology distinctive. 

Active eolian sand deposits that are subject to migration. 

Unconsolidated. Generally lacks vegetation. Composed of light 

yellowish-buff colored, moderately to well-sorted fine- and mediumgrained sand and silt; commonly crossbedded or laminated. No soil 

development. Maximum thickness about 25 m 

Qye Young eolian deposit (Holocene and latest Pleistocene)—Eolian sand 

deposits that are generally inactive. Unconsolidated. Sparsely 

vegetated. Composed of light yellowish-buff colored, moderately to 

well sorted fine and medium sand and silt; commonly crossbedded or 

laminated. Little or no soil development. Maximum thickness about 15 

m 

Qyae Young mixed alluvial and eolian deposit (Holocene and latest 

Pleistocene)—Alluvial and eolian deposits with alluvial processes 

dominating. Tends to form flatter surfaces than strictly alluvial 

systems lacking significant eolian sand contribution, due to infilling of 

small scale bar and swale microtopography with fine sand and silt. 

Unconsolidated; sparsely vegetated. Little or no soil development. 

Maximum thickness about 5 m 

Qyaoe Young mixed alluvial and eolian deposit (Holocene and latest 
10

Pleistocene)—Slightly older alluvial and eolian deposits with alluvial 

processes dominating. Slightly incised; infilling of small scale bar and 

swale microtopography by unconsolidated sand and pebbles. Gravelly 

sand with vague to well-defined thin bedding. Unconsolidated; 

sparsely vegetated. Little or no soil development. Thickness ranges 

from about 0.5 m to 3 m 

Qiae Intermediate alluvial and mixed eolian deposit (late to middle 

Pleistocene)—Eolian and alluvial deposits in near equal proportions 

with alluvial processes dominating. Alluvial channels muted or sand 

and pebble filled; deposit mostly sand with sparse gravel. Marked by 

flat surface, inconsistently developed pavement and Bt horizon. 

Moderately compact. Sparsely vegetated. Thickness ranges from about

0.5 m to 5 m 

Qoae Old mixed alluvial and eolian deposit (late to middle Pleistocene)—Old 

alluvial deposit with a thin veneer of eolian sand and silt. Poorly 

sorted, boulders, cobbles, coarse and fine sand, silt and clay. Forms 

smoother and lighter colored surfaces than alluvium lacking significant 

eolian sand. Depositional surface lies about 6 to 25 m above the active 

wash 

GROUNDWATER AND SPRING DEPOSITS 

Qsgp Sag pond (Holocene)—Fault controlled groundwater discharge, commonly 

ponded and(or) marshy area adjacent to active faults; deposits occurs 

along the Sierra Nevada Range front on the west side of the map area

Qag Active groundwater discharge deposit (Holocene)—Silt and fine sand in 

moist zones of groundwater discharge. Compact. Abundant vegetation. 

Thickness unknown 

Qags Spring mound deposits 

Qagw Wetland deposits 

Qygw Young groundwater discharge deposit (Holocene and latest 

Pleistocene)—Silt and fine sand in zones of former groundwater 

discharge. May be marly or diatomaceous. Clastic sediments may be 

leached and whitish color. Unconsolidated to compact. Commonly 

forms light-colored, flat areas or dissected badlands. Little vegetation. 

Thickness ranges from about 0.5 to 5 m 

Qigw Intermediate groundwater discharge deposit (late to middle 

Pleistocene)—Silt, marl, and fine sand in former zones of 

groundwater discharge. Compact, may have carbonate cement or 

charophytic tufa present. Clastic sediments may be leached. Little 

vegetation, generally dissected. Occurs near outlet of McCloud Flat 

and China Gardens area and in the Wildrose graben area. Thickness 

ranges from about 0.5 to 15 m 
11

Qogw Old groundwater discharge deposit (middle Pleistocene or older)—Silt, 

marl, and fine sand in former zones of groundwater discharge. May 

have carbonate cement and laminated silica. Compact. Little 

vegetation, generally dissected. Thickness ranges from about 0.5 to 15 

m 

MADE LAND, HILLSLOPE, AND MASS WASTING DEPOSITS 

ml Made land—Material moved for construction, agricultural, or other 

disturbances extensive enough to modify natural landforms and make 

deposits difficult to identify 

Qc Colluvial deposits (Holocene and Pleistocene)—Colluvium and talus, 

poorly sorted, angular clasts, generally gritty sand, gravel, cobble and 

boulder sized, clast supported, may be nonbedded or crudely stratified. 

Commonly unvarnished to moderately varnished clasts. 

Unconsolidated. May be infilled with eolian material. May be locally 

reworked by debris flow activity. Thickness ranges from 0.25 m to 

tens of meters 

Qls Mass-movement deposits (Holocene and Pleistocene)—Landslide deposits; 

generally poorly sorted, matrix supported; generally blocks mixed with 

fine sediment. Commonly characterized by hummocky topography, 

lobate at the base. Generally unconsolidated. Thickness generally tens 

of meters 

Qoc Older colluvial deposits (Pleistocene ?)—Older colluvium and talus, poorly 

sorted, angular clasts, generally gravel, cobble and boulder sized. 

Commonly moderately to strongly varnished or iron-stained. May be 

infilled with eolian material and(or) may have Stage III, IV, or greater 

pedogenic calcite cement west of the Owens Valley. May have reddish 

argillaceous weathering on slopes flanking the Sierra Nevada on the 

west side of the quadrangle. Thickness ranges from 0.25 m to tens of 

meters 

QTsbk Block slide deposits (Pleistocene and or late Pliocene)—Large block slide 

deposits in the Coso and Panamint Ranges. Two large-block slide 

deposits of granitic rock occur on the northwest edge of the Coso 

Range south of the Owens Dry Lake. Large block slides are also 

present in the Panamint Range south of Wildrose Canyon mapped by 

Albee and others (1981). Thickness about 12 to 50 m 

VOLCANIC AND OLDER SEDIMENTARY ROCKS 

Coso Range 

Qash Volcanic ash (Quaternary)—Pyroclastic deposits, rhyolitic ash, pumice and 
12

obsidian (apache teardrops) and friable or nonlithified tuff deposited in 

the basins surrounding the Coso Geothermal area, locally reworked, 

equivalent to unit Qrp of Duffield and Bacon (1981). One of the 

younger large rhyolitic extrusives, Sugarloaf Mountain, has been dated 

as 44+22 ka (Lanphere and others, 1975; Bacon and others, 1982; 

Duffield and Bacon, 1981). Unconformably overlies basement rocks. 

Thickness variable

Qb Basalt and other mafic volcanic rocks (mainly Quaternary)—Mainly small 

volume basaltic cinder cone and local flows southwest of Coso Range 

(Duffield and Bacon, 1981). One flow north of Little Lake gives a 

K/Ar age of 0.140+0.89 Ma and other nearby flow gives 1.08+0.06 

and 2.06+0.34 Ma (Duffield and Bacon, 1981). Unconformably 

overlies basement rocks where exposed and overlain by late 

Quaternary alluvium. Thickness variable

Qvu Volcanic rocks (Quaternary)—Rhyolitic lava flows and domes of obsidian 

covered by perlite; emplaced between 1.04 and 0.044 Ma, but most 

about 0.33 Ma (Lanphere and others, 1975; Bacon and others, 1982; 

Duffield and Bacon, 1981) Intrusive or unconformably overlying 

basement rocks. Thickness variable 

QTbc Volcanic center, basalt and other mafic volcanic rocks (Quaternary and 

(or) late Pliocene)—Small volume basaltic cinder cones and local 

flows around 1.75 Ma in southeastern Coso Range west of Echerron 

Valley (Duffield and Bacon, 1981), delineates the geomorphic 

expression of the volcanic cone, source area or edifice. Thickness 

variable

QTb Basalt and other mafic volcanic rocks (Quaternary and or late 

Pliocene)—Small volume basaltic cinder cones and lava flows in 

southeastern Coso Range and southwest of the Coso Range (Duffield 

and Bacon, 1981). One flow gives a 2.06+0.34 Ma K/Ar age (Duffield 

and Bacon, 1981). Unconformably overlies basement rocks where 

exposed and overlain by late Quaternary alluvium. Thickness variable

Tcgl Conglomerate (Pliocene ?)—Undifferentiated conglomerate, boulder 

conglomerate, or bouldery alluvium overlying 3 to 4 Ma basalt in the 

Coso Wash area. Locally includes granitic boulder lag. Thickness one 

to tens of meters

Ts Sedimentary rocks (Pliocene)—Clastic sedimentary rocks, mainly course 

alluvial fan deposits consisting of sand, pebbles, gravel, cobbles and 

boulders; moderately to poorly stratified. Locally interbedded rhyolitic 

ash and basaltic flows. Commonly Stage III to Stage IV or greater 

calcic horizons in the Ash Hill and Wildrose horst area. Includes the 

Nova Formation (Hall, 1971) in the northern Panamint Range where it 

unconformably overlies basement rocks and locally conformably 

overlies Tb; overlies about 4.0 Ma basalt on Ash Hill in Panamint 

Valley and 3 to 4 Ma basalt in the Coso Wash area; unit age probably 
13

around 2 to 4 Ma. Maximum thickness may exceed 1,600 m in the 

Panamint Range 

Coso Formation (Pliocene)—Divided informally into: 

Tvd Rhyodacite (Pliocene)—Massive, dark weathering, cliff-forming 

rhyodacitic indurated tuff, approximately 2.5 Ma (Duffield and Bacon, 

1981); unconformably overlies Tvrc and Tca in the west part of the 

Coso Range. Generally 10 to 30 m thick 

Tcs Mainly sedimentary rocks (Pliocene)—Generally light buff to whitish, 

fine-grained fluvial, deltaic, and wetlands deposits, lesser olivecolored lacustrine mudstones; also reddish weathering siltstone, 

sandstone, and pebble conglomerate with interbedded volcanic ash; 

contains early Pliocene (Blancan) mammalian faunal remains (Schultz, 

1937; Evernden and James, 1964) on the north and west flank of the 

Coso Range, overlies about 3.5 to 5.8 Ma basalt in the northern Coso 

Range, and has intercalated middle Pliocene, about 3.14+0.15 Ma ashflow tuff on the west side of the Coso Range near Haiwee Reservoir 

(Duffield and Bacon, 1981); unconformably overlies Tca east of the 

Haiwee Reservoir and east of Bird Hill; overlies Tb north of Cactus 

Flat. Maximum thickness probably greater than 300 m 

Tcu Coso Formation, undifferentiated (Pliocene)—Volcanic and clastic 

rocks of the Coso Formation undifferentiated. Maximum thickness 

greater than 300 m 

Tcv Coso Formation, undifferentiated volcanic rocks (Pliocene)—

Siliceous volcanic rock found along the north eastern Coso Range and 

southern Lower Centennial Flat. Maximum thickness probably about 

150 m 

Tvrc Red weathering rhyodacitic volcanic rock (Pliocene)—Rhyodacitic 

volcanic rock that underlies Tvd and overlies Tca on the west flank of 

the Coso Range. From 10 to 30 m thick 

Tca Mainly volcanic ash and tephra (Pliocene)—Friable whitish 

weathering, slope-forming siliceous volcanic ash, includes airfall 

pumice dated at about 3 Ma (Duffield and Bacon, 1981; unit Tcp) near 

the base of the unit on the west flank of the Coso Range. 

Unconformably overlies basement on an old erosion or peneplain 

surface. Also, locally overlies Tb on east side of Coso Wash and the 

headwaters of Darwin Wash east of Coles Flat; and overlies Tcr east 

of Haiwee Reservoir. Locally overlain by Tcs east of Haiwee 

Reservoir. Generally 10 to 30 m thick and locally as thick as about 50 

m 

Tcla Lower volcanic ash and tephra (Pliocene)—Friable, whitishweathering, slope-forming siliceous volcanic ash and pumice on the 

west flank of the Coso Range. Unconformably overlies basement on 

an old erosion or peneplain surface. Only mapped east of the southern 
14

extent of Haiwee Reservoir along the west flank of the Coso Range. 

Generally 10 to 30 m thick and locally as much as about 50 m

Tvdo Older dacitic volcanic rock (Pliocene)—Reddish weathering dacite mapped 

by Duffield and Bacon (1981), moderately porphyritic; overlies about 

3.3- to 3.5-Ma Tb and is overlain by about 3.0 Ma pumice of Tca

(Duffield and Bacon, 1981) on the east side of Coso Wash (Duffield 

and Bacon, 1981); may be correlative in age with Tcla of the Coso 

Formation. Thickness ranges from about 5 to 60 m 

Tb Mainly flood-like basalt flows and other mafic volcanic rocks (Pliocene)—

Flood-like basalt flows, typically a few to several meters thick but 

commonly covering large areas on the order of several tens to 

hundreds of square miles; around 3 to 4 Ma in the southwestern part of 

the quadrangle, and 4 to 6 Ma in the northern and northeastern part of 

the quadrangle (Hall, 1971; Larsen, 1979; Duffield and others, 1980; 

Duffield and Bacon, 1981; Schweig, 1982, 1989); and one locality in 

Rainbow Canyon on the west side of the Darwin Plateau gives a 7.2 

Ma K/Ar age (Schweig, 1982, 1989) conical geomorphic extrusive 

edifice delineated as (Tbc). Individual flows typically 3 to 5 m; 

thickness ranges from about 3 to 150 m 

Tbc Eruptive centers of basalt flows and other mafic volcanic rocks 

(Pliocene)—Vent and near vent area 

Tcvr Volcanic ash flow and ash (early Pliocene and (or) late Miocene)—

Unconsolidated or poorly indurated siliceous ash underlying Tb in the 

northern part of the Coso Range; may also underlie Tcs in the 

northwestern part of the Coso Range. Thickness ranges from about 10 

to 75 m 

Tvcf Volcanic ash flow and ash (early Pliocene and (or) late Miocene)—

Unconsolidated or poorly indurated siliceous ash underlying Tb in the 

northern part of the Coso Range west of Centennial Flat (Tvcf?). 

Thickness ranges from about 10 to 25 m 

Trb Sedimentary rocks (early Pliocene and (or) late Miocene)—Clastic rocks 

consisting of red beds that underlie the Coso Range. Mainly well 

bedded, also locally crossbedded, ripple laminated arkosic sandstones. 

Clasts moderately sorted, sub-angular to well- rounded; fine to coarse 

sand, grit, pebbles, and small cobbles. Moderately consolidated. Local 

interbedded siliceous tuffs. Bedding and facies suggest fluvial origin. 

Locally weathered to deep rusty red. Unit on the northwest edge of the 

Coso Range south of Owens Dry Lake; unit first mapped by Stinson 

(1977a). Thickness ranges from about 5 to 50 m 

Tsa Sedimentary rocks (late Miocene ?)—Clastic rocks consisting of arkosic 

sediments with intercalated siliceous ash that locally underlies basalt 

(about 6 Ma in age) in the Darwin Wash area. Locally well bedded and 

(or) crossbedded, moderately sorted sandstone, mudstone and scarce 
15

conglomerate. Bedding characteristics suggest fluvial origin. Basal 

contact is locally strongly modified by secondary brownish-yellow 

jasper, which forms deposits 1 to 2 meters thick. Locally cut by mafic 

dikes that feed the overlying basalt. Thickness ranges from about 0.5 

to 10 m 

Tv Volcanic rock (early Pliocene to late middle Miocene)—Andesite and other 

undifferentiated siliceous volcanic rocks. Tv underlies Tsa in the 

lower Darwin Canyon Wash. Overlies Paleozoic rocks and underlies 

Ts on Ash Hill. Also located on the southeast range front of the Argus 

Range around Shepherd Canyon where the rocks are middle and late(?) 

Miocene age (Evernden and James, 1964; about 12.6 to 13.0 Ma 

uncorrected K/Ar whole-rock ages, p. 970). Unconformably overlies 

Paleozoic rocks. Thickness ranges from about 0.5 to 10 m 

GEOMORPHIC FEATURES 

Qapd Pediment surfaces (middle and late Quaternary)—Erosional surface in 

various stages of active erosion and burial 

ff Faceted bedrock spur (Pleistocene and (or) late Pliocene)—Geomorphic 

feature consisting of a triangular ridge spur, generally a faultcontrolled surface along a range front; commonly eroded and rilled or 

gullied if older, may be slickensided if younger 

ve Volcanic vent area (Quaternary and (or) late Pliocene)—Geomorphic area 

of closed depression situated within a generally conical volcanic 

edifice 

Tvpd Pediment inset onto Tertiary volcanic rock (Quaternary and (or) late 

Pliocene)—Erosional surfaces in various stages of erosion and burial, 

inset onto unit Tvd and (or) Tvrc and inferred to be mainly late 

Quaternary age 

Tcpd Pediment inset onto Coso Formation (Quaternary and (or) late 

Pliocene)—Erosional surfaces in various stages of erosion and burial 

developed or inset onto unit Tcs

Tbpd Pediment inset onto basalt (Quaternary and (or) late Pliocene)—Erosional 

surfaces in various stages of erosion and burial inset into unit Tb and 

inferred to be mainly Quaternary age 

KJpd Pediment developed on granitic substrate (Quaternary and (or) late 

Pliocene)—Erosional surfaces in various stages of erosion and burial 

developed on unit KJg, inferred to be mainly Quaternary age 

MzPzpd Pediment developed on Paleozoic and (or) Mesozoic substrate (Quaternary 

and (or) late Pliocene)—Erosional surfaces in various stages of 

erosion and burial developed on unit MzPz, inferred to be mainly 

Quaternary age
16

Tves Pediment developed on Tv (Quaternary and (or) late Pliocene)—Gently 

sloping erosional surfaces developed on unit Tvd and (or) Tvrc in 

various stages of erosion and burial

Tbes Old erosion surface developed on top of basalt (early or middle 

Pliocene)—Gently sloping erosional surfaces developed on unit Tb in 

various stages of erosion and burial; queried where uncertain (Tbes?) 

 Tblag Cobble lag deposit (late Miocene and early Pliocene)—Thin, discontinuous 

scattering of basalt and restate clasts overlying Es 

Es Old erosion surface on bedrock (late Miocene and early Pliocene)—

Exhumed and denuded paleo-surfaces in various stages of erosion and 

burial. Surface commonly overlain by Tb and (or) Tv in the western 

half of the quadrangle; locally overlain by basaltic lag gravels 

Kgu Old relief above Es (late Miocene and early Pliocene)—Geomorphic area 

inferred to have been a paleo-highland, relative to the Es geomorphic 

surface; locally overlain by late Miocene and Pliocene sedimentary 

and volcanic rock; area inferred to be in geomorphic continuity with 

upper erosion surface (Es) but area of higher paleo-elevation, 

developed on unit KJg

BEDROCK LITHOLOGIES 

KJg Mainly plutonic rocks (Cretaceous and (or) Jurassic)—Undivided plutonic 

rocks 

MzPz Sedimentary and metamorphic rocks (Mesozoic and Paleozoic)—

Undivided meta-sedimentary and very subordinate meta-volcanic 

rocks of mainly Mesozoic and Paleozoic age 

ca Meta-sedimentary, Metamorphic, and Plutonic Rocks of the Panamint 

Range (Mesozoic, Paleozoic, and Precambrian)—Undivided metasedimentary rocks of mainly Paleozoic and Precambrian age, plutonic 

rocks of Precambrian, Mesozoic, and Cenozoic age, and subordinate 

meta-volcanic and meta-sedimentary rocks of Mesozoic age in the 

Panamint Range 
17

Selected References 

Albee, A.L., Labotka, T.C., Lanphere, M.A., and McDowell, S.D., 1981, Geologic Map 

of the Telescope Peak Quadrangle, California: U.S. Geological Survey Geologic 

Quadrangle Map, GQ-1532, scale 1:62,500. 

Bacon, C.R., Giovannetti, D.M., Duffield, W.A., Dalrymple, G.B., and Drake, R.E., 

1982, Age of the Coso Formation, Inyo County, California: U.S. Geological Survey 

Bulletin 1527, 18 p. 

Bacon, S.N., Burke, R.M., Pezzopane, S.K. and Jayko, A.S., 2006, Latest Quaternary 

Lake-Levels of Owens Lake, Inyo County, California: Quaternary Science Reviews, v. 

25, p. 1,264–1,282. 

Birkeland, P.W., Machette, M.N., and Haller, K.M., 1991, Soils as a tool for Applied 

Quaternary Geology: Utah Department of Natural Resources, Geological and Mineral 

Survey Miscellaneous Publication 91-3, 63 p. 

Bull, W.B., 1991, Geomorphic responses to climatic change: Cambridge, Oxford 

University Press, 326 p. 

Carver, G.A., 1970, Quaternary tectonism and surface faulting in the Owens Lake Basin, 

California: MacKay School Mines Technical Report AT-2, 103 p. 

Davis, E.L., 1970, Archeology of the north basin of Panamint Valley, Inyo County, 

California: Nevada State Museum Anthropological Papers, v. 15, p. 83–141. 

Duffield, W.A., and Bacon, C.R., 1981, Geologic Map of the Coso Volcanic Field and 

adjacent areas, Inyo County, California: U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous 

Investigations Series, I-1200, scale 1:50,000. 

Duffield, W.A., Bacon, C.R., and Dalrymple, G.B., 1980, Late Cenozoic volcanism, 

geochronology and structure of the Coso Range, Inyo County, California: Journal of 

Geophysical Research, v. 85, p. 2,381–2,404. 

Duffield, W.A., Bacon, C.R., and Delaney, P.T., 1986, Deformation of poorly 

consolidated sediment during shallow emplacement of a basalt sill, Coso Range, 

California: Bulletin of Volcanology, v. 48, p. 97–107. 

Evernden, J.F., and James, G.T., 1964, Potassium-argon dates and the Tertiary floras of 

North America: American Journal of Science, v. 262, p. 945–974. 

Fitzpatrick, J.A., and Bischoff, J.L., 1993, Uranium-series dates on sediments of the high 

shoreline of Panamint Valley, California: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 93-

0232, 15 p. 

Fitzpatrick, J.A., Bischoff, J.L., and Smith, G.I., 1993, Uranium-series analyses of 

evaporites from the 1000-foot PAN-3 core, Panamint Valley, California: U.S. 

Geological Survey Open-File Report 93-558, 22 p. 

Forester, R.M., 2001, An ostracode record of Holocene climate change from Owens 

Lake, California: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 01-202, p. 7–8. 

Gale, H.S., 1914a, Notes on the Quaternary Lakes of the Great Basin, with special 

reference to the deposition of potash and other salines: U.S. Geological Survey 

Bulletin, v. 540, p. 399–475. 
18

Gale, H.S., 1914b, Salines in the Owens, Searles, and Panamint Valleys, southeastern 

California: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 0580-L, p. 251–323. 

Giovannetti, D.M., 1979, Mio-Pliocene volcanic rocks and associated sediments of 

southeastern Owens Lake, Inyo County, California: Berkeley, University of California, 

Master’s thesis, 76 p. 

Hall, W.E., 1971, Geology of Panamint Butte Quadrangle, Inyo County, California: U.S. 

Geological Survey Bulletin 1299, 67 p., 1 plate, scale 1:62,500. 

Hall, W.E., and MacKevett, E.M., 1962, Geology and ore deposits of the Darwin 

Quadrangle, Inyo County, California: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 368, 

87 p., 1 plate, scale 1:62,500. 

Hanna, G.D., 1963, Some Pleistocene and Pliocene freshwater Mollusca from California 

and Oregon: California Academy of Science Occasional Paper 43, 20 p. 

Hubbs, C.L., Bien, G.S., and Suess, H.E., 1965, La Jolla natural radiocarbon 

measurements IV: Radiocarbon, v. 7, p. 66–117. 

Jannik, N.O., Phillips, F.M., Smith, G.I., and Elmore, D., 1991, A (super 36) Cl 

chronology of lacustrine sedimentation in the Pleistocene Owens River system: 

Geological Society of America Bulletin, v. 103, p. 1,146–1,159. 

Jayko, A.S., Forester, R.M., Kaufman, D.S., Phillips, F.M., McGeehin, J.P., and Mahan, 

S.A., 2005, Late Pleistocene Lakes, Panamint Valley, California, in Reheis, Hersler, 

and Miller, eds., Workshop on late Cenozoic Drainage History of the Southwestern 

Great Basin and Lower Colorado River Region: Geologic and Biotic Perspectives: U.S. 

Geological Survey Open-File Report 2005-1404, p. 3. 

Lanphere, M.A., Dalryrmple, G.B., and Smith, R.L., 1975, K-Ar ages of Pleistocene 

rhyolitic volcanism in the Coso Range, California: Geology, v. 3, p. 339–341. 

Larsen, N.W., 1979, Chronology of late Cenozoic basaltic volcanism: The tectonic 

implications along a segment of the Sierra Nevada and Basin and Range province 

boundary: Utah, Brigham Young University, Ph.D. dissertation 95 p. 

Orme, A.R., and Orme, A.J., 1993, Late Pleistocene oscillations of Lake Owens, eastern 

California: Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs 25, p. 129–130. 

Phillips, F.M., and Zreda, M.G., 1999, Chlorine-36 ages of pluvial shoreline features in 

the Death Valley/Panamint Valley area: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 99-

153, p. 69–70. 

Novak, S.W., and Bacon, C.R., 1986, Pliocene rocks of the Coso Range, Inyo County, 

California: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1381, 44 p. 

Reheis, M., 1991, Aerial photographic interpretation of lineaments and faults in late 

Cenozoic deposits in the eastern parts of the Saline Valley 1:100,000 Quadrangle, 

Nevada and California, and the Darwin Hills 1:100,000 Quadrangle, California: U.S. 

Geological Survey Open File Report 90-500, scale 1:100,000. 

Sarna-Wojcicki, Andrei M., Machette, M.N., Knott, J.R., Klinger, R.E., Fleck, R.J., 

Tinsley, J.C., III, Troxel, B.W., Budahn, J.R., Walker, J.P., 2001, Weaving a temporal 

and spatial framework for the late Neogene of Death Valley; correlation and dating of 

Pliocene and Quaternary units using tephrochronology (super 40) Ar/ (super 39) Ar 

dating, and other dating methods, in Machette, M.N, Johnson, M.L, Slate, J.L, eds., 

U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 01-0051, p. E121–E135. 
19

Schultz, J.R., 1937, A late Cenozoic vertebrate fauna from the Coso Mountains, Inyo 

County, California: Carnegie Institute Washington Publication, p. 75–109. 

Schweig, E.S., 1982, Neogene tectonics and paleogeography of the southwest Great 

Basin, California: Palo Alto, California, Stanford University, Ph.D. dissertation, 184 p. 

Schweig, E.S., 1989, Basin-Range tectonics in the Darwin Plateau, southwestern Great 

Basin, California: Geological Society of America Bulletin, v. 101, p. 652-662. 

Smith, G.I., Barczak, V.J., Moulton, G.F., and Liddicoat, J.C., 1983, Core KM-3, a 

surface-to-bedrock record of late Cenozoic sedimentation in Searles Valley, California: 

U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1256, 24 p. 

Smith, G.I., and Bischoff, J.L., 1997, An 800,000-year paleoclimatic record from core 

OL-92, Owens Lake, Southeast California: Geological Society of America Special 

Paper, v. 317, p. 165. 

Smith, G.I., and Pratt, W.P., 1957, Core logs from Owens, China, Searles, and Panamint 

Valleys, California: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 1045-A, p. 1–62. 

Smith, R.S.U., 1976, Late-Quaternary fluvial and tectonic history of Panamint Valley, 

Inyo and San Bernardino Counties, California: Pasadena, California, Ph.D. dissertation, 

California Institute of Technology, 295 p. 

Smith, R.S.U., 1978, Pluvial history of Panamint Valley, California: Guidebook for the 

Friends of the Pleistocene, Pacific Cell, 36 p. 

Stewart, B.W., 1998, Quaternary weathering processes and climate change in the Sierra 

Nevada and western Great Basin- Radiogenic isotope results from the Owens River 

system: Geological Society of America Abstract with Programs, v. 30, p. 66. 

Stewart, B.W., Roof, S., Boulanger, J.R., and Lowenstein, T.K., 2001, Connectivity of 

Owens River System Paleo-Lakes During Quaternary Glacial Periods: The Strontium 

Isotope Record: EOS, American Geophysical Union, v. 88, p 497. 

Stinson, M.C., 1977a, Geology of the Haiwee Reservoir 15’ Quadrangle, Inyo County, 

California: California Division of Mines and Geology Map Sheet 37, scale 1:62,500. 

Stinson, M.C., 1977b, Geology of the Keeler 15’ Quadrangle, Inyo County, California: 

California Division of Mines and Geology Map Sheet 38, scale 1:62,500. 

Stone, P., Dunne, G.C., Stevens, C.H., and Gulliver, R.M., 1989, Geologic map of 

Paleozoic and Mesozoic rocks in parts of the Darwin and adjacent quadrangles, Inyo 

County, California: U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Investigations Series I1932, scale 1:31,250. 

Stone, P., Dunne, G.C., Conrad, J.E., Swanson, B.J., Stevens, C.H., and Valin, V.C., 

2004, Geologic map of the Cerro Gordo Peak 7.5’ quadrangle, Inyo County, 

California: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Map 2851, scale 1:24,000. 

Stuiver, M., 1964, Carbon isotopic distribution and correlated chronology of Searles Lake 

sediments: American Journal of Science, v. 262, p. 377-392. 

Taylor, D.W., 1986, Fossil molluscs from the Lake Hill archeological site, Panamint 

Valley, southeastern California: Contributions of the Great Basin Foundation, # 2, p.42-

53. 

Vogel, M., Jayko, A.S., Wooden, J., and Smith, R.S.U., 2002, Quaternary exhumation 

rate central Panamint Range, California from U-Pb zircon ages: Geological Society of 

America Abstracts with Programs, v. 34, p 249. 
20

Wornardt, W.W., 1964, Pleistocene diatoms from Mono and Panamint lake basins, 

California: California Academy of Science Occasional Paper 46, 27 p.