One of our adventures during our fall camping trip was a
visit to the Meadow Lake petroglyphs in the northern Sierra Nevada mountains of
California.
Getting there was half the fun. After about 10 miles of dirt roads, we passed
Meadow Lake and continued toward a large area of exposed granite. Soon we found that the road was blocked by a
fallen tree. Bruce hooked on with a tow
strap, broke it, and moved it aside.
Eventually we reached a large open area of granite boulders,
with hundreds of petroglyphs on the horizontal surfaces.
The rock art at this site is described as Style 7, High
Sierra Abstract-Representational petroglyphs identified with the Martis culture
dating from 2000 B.C. to 1000 A.D. We can guess at their meaning, but no one knows for sure.
The petroglyphs here show up best on areas of dark desert
varnish, but careful inspection reveals many on the lighter colored rock as
well. The light scratches around the
edge are glacial striations caused by rocks embedded in the base of moving
glaciers.
The area is rocky and
rugged. Not many trees grow in this
granite, and there are quite a few dead snags and fallen trees. Their wood often has beautifully weathered
patterns.
Or maybe it was a good place to camp with
drinking water nearby.
We don’t know the
meaning of this rock art, but it sure is fun to find it and take pictures.
These photos are copyrighted, so please do not copy them or
use them without my permission.
Thank you for sharing and for your friend who moved the log! I just found out about these petroglyphs and was hoping to visit. It looks like a very neat place!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you like this. My log moving friend said the snow depth there was 55 inches a few days ago, according to a sensor. If you plan to go, you will need to wait until summer - maybe July. It is well worth the trip, but be sure to take a high clearance vehicle, and try to get good directions.
DeleteThanks for sharing. Any chance you could provide some directions to this area?
ReplyDeleteHi Jay, As you know, there is a big vandalism problem at petroglyph sites. So, I would like to know more about your interest in petroglyphs before deciding to provide directions. Would you please email me at idbearlakers@msn.com.
DeleteHi Ross, I am the communications specialist with Nevada Irrigation District in Grass Valley. I'm writing an article about the District's restoration of English Meadow near Meadow Lake. In this piece, I'm tracing the inhabitants of the meadow, specifically the Martis Tribe. I would love to include a photo of the petroglyphs at Meadow Lake. May I have permission to use one of your photos? This is not a commercial article ... just educational information about the people who lived there so long ago. Thanks in advance!
ReplyDelete