Summary geochemical map for samples of rock, stream sediment, and nonmagnetic heavy-mineral concentrate, Freel and Dardanelles Roadless Areas, Alpine and El Dorado Counties, California

The Freel and Dardanelles Roadless Areas lie near the crest of the central Sierra Nevada south of Lake Tahoe in California.  The roadless areas (the study area) encompass approximately 51 sq mi in Eldorado and Toiyabe National Forests and in the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit, in Alpine and El Dorado Counties, California.

The study area is dominated by rugged topography; elevations range from about 6,000 ft along the extreme western boundary of the Dardanelles Roadless Area to 10,881 ft at Freel Peak in the northern part of the Freel Roadless Area.

Geochemical sampling was conducted during 1978 and 1979.  This report summarizes the reults of that investigation and provides details of the geochemical evaluation used in producing the final mineral resource assessment of the study area (John, Armin, Plouff, Chaffee, Peters, and others, 1983).