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1981 Map of Hembrillo Canyon

Name: 1981 Topographic Map of Hembrillo Canyon
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1982
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1982

About this map

Pioneer Mine and the Greenback Mine highlight the rugged industrial history of this high-altitude landscape in southern New Mexico. This 1982 publication, based on aerial data from the 1970s, captures the high peaks and deep incisions of the San Andres Mountains, including Gunsight Peak, Grandview Mountain, and Kaylor Mountain. The terrain is characterized by a sparse network of natural water sources vital to this arid environment, such as Hembrillo Spring, Mountain Sheep Spring, and Hospital Spring located within Hospital Canyon.

The eastern portion of the survey is dominated by the White Sands Missile Range, where the steep mountain slopes descend into the vast, low-lying Alkali Flat. Traces of human activity are concentrated around the mineral prospects and the Pioneer Jr Mine, connected by narrow jeep trails that snake through Hembrillo Canyon and Hell Canyon. The boundary between Sierra and Doña Ana Counties cuts across the northern ridges, marking a remote divide in this restricted military and mining landscape.