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1985 Map of Pearl Peak

Name: 1985 Topographic Map of Pearl Peak
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1986
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1986

About this map

Ruby Mountains topography dominates this mid-1980s provisional survey of the high-elevation boundary between Elko and White Pine counties. Rising steeply from the valley floor, the landscape is defined by massive peaks including Pearl Peak and Cass House Peak, which shed water into a network of drainage systems like Lindsay Creek and Sherman Creek. The eastern edge of the quadrangle marks a sharp environmental transition into the Ruby Lake National Wildlife Refuge, where the marshy waters of Ruby Lake provide a stark contrast to the surrounding high country.

Evidence of human activity is concentrated along the forest and refuge boundaries, most notably at Shanty Town and various campgrounds. Numerous prospects scattered throughout the Humboldt National Forest indicate a history of mineral exploration, while named features like Flyn And Hager Spring and Cass House Creek suggest the importance of water sources for early ranching or settlement. The map serves as a record of this wilderness at a time when access was limited to a few secondary roads and the historical flume.