1961 Map of Busted Butte

About this map

The Nevada Test Site and the Nellis Air Force Range dominate this landscape, reflecting a mid-century era of significant federal and military activity in the desert. Mapped in cooperation with the Atomic Energy Commission, the topography is defined by the massive ridge of Yucca Mountain, which runs vertically through the center of the sheet. To the east, the terrain drops into Jackass Flats and is bisected by the winding Fortymile Wash. The distinctive Busted Butte stands as a prominent landmark between the mountain range and the wash. Surveyors marked several vertical angle benchmarks (VABMs) across the high points, including VABM Iron 4161 and VABM Fran 4110. A singular Jeep Trail provides the only documented transit through Fortymile Canyon, emphasizing the restricted and specialized nature of this government-managed territory during the early 1960s.