slgwv's photos with the keyword: tufa

View of the cave from below, at the (unimproved!) parking area. The brownish masses encrusting the slope are tufa.

A cave, above dry Winnemucca Lake, which is an archeological site that has been excavated for Native American artifacts. The cave is located along the paleo-shoreline of Pleistocene Lake Lahontan. Tufa is a freshwater limestone typically deposited in agitated water, often in association with algal growth. It encrusts lots of the bedrock around Lake Lahontan. The cave probably results from erosion by wave action when the lake shore was at this level. The left inset shows the cave in context, as seen from below. The right pix show views of the interior, including a look back toward the entrance. The cave is surprisingly deep considering its mode of origin.

Looking back from inside Tufa Cave.

Tufa, a freshwater limestone, encrusting the cave roof. A flash picture.

Mono Lake, California. Black Point in the distance.

Mono County, California. A saline, landlocked lake fed by streams flowing eastward off the Sierra Nevada. The curious pinnacles and ragged outcrops are tufa, a freshwater limestone typically deposited by springs, altho it can also result from algal growth in agitated water. Looking east. Mono Lake had dropped dozens of feet by the latter 20th century due to diversions by the Los Angeles Dept. of Water and Power. Its level has recovered significantly as diversions have been restrained by court order. The inset shows the boardwalk(!) out to this point, over marshy and tufa-filled ground.