1986 Map of Ninemile Canyon

About this map

The high desert landscape of Independence Valley dominates this 1980s Elko County survey, where the valley floor meets the rising slopes of the Pequop Mountains. This transition from the flat basin to the montane terrain is marked by the drainage of Ninemile Canyon and Cole Creek, which flow toward the seasonally arid Alkali Flat in the north. Land use in this corner of Nevada is indicated by sparse but essential features for the ranching and industrial economy, including a Corral near the mountain base and a Gravel Pit near the creek. The map captures a moment in the mid-1980s when traditional land markers, such as the township boundaries of T 33 N and T 32 N, remained the primary points of orientation in this sparsely populated region.