1971 Map of Silver Zone Pass

About this map

The Toano Range dominates this corner of Elko County, forming a high barrier that forced the engineering of the Western Pacific railroad and regional utility corridors. In the early 1970s, the transit through Silver Zone Pass illustrates a classic Great Basin transportation bottleneck, where rail lines, an Aqueduct, and early highways converge to navigate the steep terrain. The railroad's solution to the grade is remarkably preserved here at The Loop, a major curve designed to manage the descent into the Silver Zone Basin. Settlement is sparse, represented by small railroad-related points like Cliffside and the namesake Silver Zone. Evidence of local utility and aviation history appears through features like the Airway Beacon and Silver Zone Well, while the high country contains cattle-ranching remnants like a Corral and isolated water sources including Collar and Elbow Spring.