1987 Map of Iris Pass

About this map

Chocolate Mountain Aerial Gunnery Range dominates this 1980s landscape, illustrating the heavy military footprint in the California desert. The terrain is defined by the high ridges and drainage patterns of the Chocolate Mountains, where elevation and aridity dictate the local geography. Cut by the Iris Wash, the area shows a transition from rugged mountain slopes to the alluvial fans that spread across the desert floor. This sheet serves as a clear record of restricted land use at the boundary of Riverside and Imperial counties, where the absence of civilian settlements highlights the region's dedicated role for training and aerial operations during the late twentieth century.