1978 Map of Mount Whitney

About this map

Mt Whitney stands as the dramatic centerpiece of this high-elevation landscape, where the granite crest of the Sierra Nevada meets the arid Owens Valley. In the late 1970s, the valley floor remained a corridor of settlement and transit, defined by the path of US Highway 395 and the waters of the Owens River. To the east, the Inyo Mountains harbor industrial history at the Black Rock Mine and Reward Mine, while the western slopes fall away into the deep drainage of the Kern River. This survey captures a complex intersection of land management, bordering the Sequoia National Park, Kings Canyon National Park, and the John Muir Wilderness. Notable cultural landmarks include the Fort Independence Indian Reservation near Independence and the high-altitude jumping-off point at Whitney Portal.