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1963 Map of Piper Peak

Name: 1963 Topographic Map of Piper Peak
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1965
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1965

About this map

Silver Peak Range dominance defines this 1963 survey, where high summits like Piper Peak and Sugar Peak overlook the arid expansion of Fish Lake Valley. The landscape is a map of Nevada mining history, clearly marking the remote industrial sites of the Nivloc Mine, Mohawk Mine, and Cottonwood Mine. These operations were supported by a network of critical water sources, including Jeff Davis Spring and Cottonwood Springs, which appear as rare lifelines in the high desert terrain.

A network of jeep trails and older paths connects these peaks to the Nevada California border, crossing the Von Schmidt Line. Evidence of earlier settlement is found at Indian Garden and near the Lookout Mine ruins. The map also records the hydrological markers of the era, from the Big Spring Water Tank to the various wells scattered across the valley floor, illustrating the constant search for water in this mineral-rich corner of Esmeralda and Mono counties.