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1952 Map of Telescope Peak

Name: 1952 Topographic Map of Telescope Peak
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1953
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1953

About this map

The Panamint Mountains dominate this 1952 topographic study, showcasing the dramatic elevation change between the Panamint Valley and the high summits of Telescope Peak and Rogers Peak. The landscape is a network of deep canyons, such as Surprise Canyon and Pleasant Canyon, which provided the only access to the remote mining operations and high-altitude encampments found throughout the range.

Evidence of late 19th and early 20th-century prospecting is widespread, with several named mines like the World Beater Mine and Radcliff Mine situated in the rugged terrain. The presence of the settlement at Ballarat, along with more isolated outposts like Hungry Bills Ranch and Clair Camp, indicates a persistent human effort to extract wealth from these mountains. Above the desert floor, high-altitude locales such as Mahogany Flat and Thorndike Camp highlight the distinct environmental zones protected within the Death Valley National Monument.