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1968 Map of Portuguese Mtn NW

Name: 1968 Topographic Map of Portuguese Mtn NW
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1973
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1973

About this map

Big Sand Springs Valley dominates the western half of this 1968 survey, presenting a broad, arid basin shaped by the Sand Springs Wash. To the east, the topography shifts dramatically toward the high terrain of the Pancake Range and the distinct Red Hills. This landscape is marked by the limited but essential presence of water sources, such as Etcheverria Well, which provided a critical waypoint for those navigating this portion of Nye County.

Mapping for this quadrangle was conducted in cooperation with the Atomic Energy Commission, reflecting the strategic importance of the region during the late 1960s. The network of several Jeep Trails shown winding through the gaps of the range illustrates the accessibility of this remote high-desert environment before modern infrastructure transformed the area. The absence of established land lines at the time of the survey underscores the rugged and unsettled nature of the territory.