Poker Jim Bathtub Ring
November 12, 2010
Photographer: Stu Witmer
Summary Author: Stu Witmer
The photo above was taken from Poker Jim Ridge on the road to Hart Mountain National Antelope Refuge in Oregon's High Desert. The road climbs the west side of the huge, nearly vertical, basalt fault block almost three quarters of a mile (1 km) above the floor of the Warner Valley. On the way up travelers are rewarded with the view seen here. The clear line on the side of the escarpment is about 200 feet (61 m) above the valley floor. It shows the highest surface elevation of a huge Pleistocene lake that covered about 500 square miles (1,295 sq km) around 17,000 years ago. Some local wag named the formation for a well-respected and popular Pendleton Indian Sap-At-Kloni (b. 1854 – d. 1936) who, during his time as a scout for the U.S. Army in southeast Oregon, was known as "Poker Jim" due to his "well known affinity for the card game." Photo taken April 29, 2010.
Photo details: Camera Maker Nikon; Camera Nikon E5700; Focal Length 27.3 mm; Aperture f/7.4; Exposure 0.002 sec (1/652); ISO Speed 200; Flash Off; Exposure Program Program AE; Max Aperture Value 2.8; Exposure Mode Auto; White Balance Auto; Color Space sRGB.