1961 Map of Jangle Ridge

About this map

The Nevada Test Site dominates this early 1960s Cold War landscape, revealing the restricted infrastructure of atomic testing in the high desert. Mapped in cooperation with the Atomic Energy Commission, the terrain is divided into administrative sectors including Area 10 and Area 9, reflecting the era's heavy military and scientific investment. High points such as VABM Poose 6317 and the prominent Jangle Ridge overlook the vast expanse of Emigrant Valley to the north and the Desert Game Range to the east. Transportation is limited to a network of unimproved routes like Groom Lake Road and numerous labeled Jeep Trails that crisscross the arid flats. The map also captures specialized utility infrastructure, including a telephone line underground and a ditch system near the Rhyolite Hills, highlighting the intensive modification of this desert environment for federal mission requirements.