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1951 Map of Waucoba Wash

Name: 1951 Topographic Map of Waucoba Wash
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1953
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1953

About this map

Saline Valley and the northern reaches of the Saline Depression dominate this 1951 survey, revealing a landscape defined by extreme mineral extraction and isolated desert outposts. The western edge is anchored by the Inyo National Forest, where deep drainages like Waucoba Canyon and Bunker Hill Canyon cut through the mountains. This era was marked by diverse mining activity, ranging from the Waucoba Tungsten Mine in the north to the White Eagle Talc Mine and Grey Eagle Talc Mine further south.

Logistics in this arid environment centered on scarce water sources and small habitations like Willow Creek Camp. The map identifies critical hydrological markers for travelers and miners, including the thermal Palm Spring and the aptly named Badwater Springs. The vast alluvial fans of Waucoba Wash terminate in the lowlands near The Dunes, illustrating the geological transition from the high peaks to the valley floor during a period of active high-desert prospecting.