Page 68 - Vol 2 Walks In The Black Range Eastern Foothills South

5. Koeberlinia spinosa Zuccarini var. spinosa, Crown of Thorns, Crucifixion Thorn, was growing near the fence on the ridgeline, as well as midway up the hill at the start of the walk.
6. Phacelia integrifolia Torrey var. integrifolia, Gypsum Scorpionweed, was growing on the east side of the summit ridge.
at the site. Edward Drinker Cope, one of America’s great paleontologists (his personal collection became the foundation of the collection at the American Museum of Natural History), was a large share holder in the mines - and lost most of his personal fortune as a result.
Another excellent source, if you are interested in the geology of the area, is Bulletin 37 of the State Bureau of Mines and Mineral Resources, “Geology and Mineral
Deposits of Lake Valley Quadrangle, Grant, Luna, and Sierra Counties, New Mexico” by Henry L. Jicha, Jr..
Sometimes the glamour and shine of silver and gold overwhelm our judgment, and this area produced a lot of silver. But during the Second World War it was manganese ore that was mined in the area. These workings can be seen from the road just south of the trailhead for this walk.