1973 Map of Arinosa SW

About this map

Wendover Air Force Range dominates this 1973 orthophotomap, revealing the austere and expansive topography of the Great Salt Lake Desert. The landscape is characterized by a nearly featureless expanse of Mud Flat, where the interplay of mineral crusts and moisture creates the varied textures visible in the aerial photography. This specific survey area, part of the larger military testing grounds in Tooele County, illustrates the geographical isolation required for mid-century aerial training and ordnance testing. The orthophotomosaic format provides a rare, direct visual record of the desert floor's surface patterns, which are often generalized on standard topographic line maps. These expansive flats represent a unique geological environment where the drainage of the ancient Lake Bonneville left behind a flat, salt-encrusted plain that has served both military and land-speed record interests.