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1948 Map of Avawatz Pass

Name: 1948 Topographic Map of Avawatz Pass
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1969
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1969

About this map

Death Valley dominates the northern reaches of this map, where the arid basin meets the formidable Ibex Hills and the shifting sands of the Ibex Dunes. In this post-war survey, the landscape is defined by the extraction of minerals and the essential search for water. Notable mining operations such as the Ibex Mine, Superior Mine, and Whiteside Mine are positioned against the steep slopes, while the presence of Saratoga Spr and Old Mormon Spr highlights the critical importance of reliable water sources in the high desert.

The southern half of the sheet is largely occupied by the Fort Irwin Military Reservation, with the National Monument Boundary marking the transition into protected lands. The topography is anchored by the Avawatz Mountains, rising toward Avawatz Pass. Here, the drainage of the Amargosa River and Salt Creek cuts through the desert floor, creating a stark geography where life centers on isolated springs like Sheep Creek Spr and Arrastre Spring.