Metropoli of the Eastern Mojave - Part 4 - Cima California

Photos By Pdxrailtransit

Cima, California is at the summit of a 2.2% eastbound grade up and over a geologic feature known as Cima Dome. The UP starts its climb at Crucero, near the Mojave Sink, where the Mojave River goes to die. The grade starts in earnest at Kelso, a helper station in steam days. The elevation of Cima, is 4208 feet, which is high enough for it to be in a Joshua Tree forest. Cima Dome is a batholith of granitic rock that formed a large magma dome under the surface. There are some cinder cones in the area, but most of the magma remains below ground, giving the Cima Dome its gradually sloped hump like appearance. In this photo we see a westbound UP manifest sitting in the hole for a couple of meets.