Fort Towson

Spirit Mountain, also known as Avi Kwa Ame (/əˌvkwəˈɑːm/ ə-VEE-kwə-AH-may;[7][8] Mojave: ʔaviː kʷaʔame, "highest mountain", from ʔaviː, "mountain, rock", and ʔamay, "up, above")[9][10] is a mountain within the Lake Mead National Recreation Area near Laughlin, Nevada. It is listed on the United States National Register of Historic Places as a sacred place to Native American tribes in Southern Nevada.[11] Spirit Mountain is the highest point in the Spirit Mountain Wilderness[2][12] and is the highest point in the Newberry Mountains with the summit peak at 5,639 feet (1,719 m).

History

Environmentalists have sought designation of a significant area to the west of the mountain as a national monument.[13] The Avi Kwa Ame National Monument was established on March 21, 2023, by President Biden[14] and named after the peak as the mountain is visible from almost the entire area.[11]

The mountain was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as a Traditional Cultural Property on September 8, 1999.[15][13][16][17]

Description

Spirit Mountain is the center of creation for all Yuman speaking tribes and is considered a sacred area.[11][18] The 506,814-acre national monument (205,100 ha) is managed by the Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, and Bureau of Reclamation.[19]

References

  1. ^ a b "Spirit". NGS Data Sheet. National Geodetic Survey, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, United States Department of Commerce. Retrieved November 23, 2008.
  2. ^ a b c "Spirit Mountain, Nevada". Peakbagger.com. Retrieved April 5, 2008.
  3. ^ "Sierra Peaks Section List" (PDF). Angeles Chapter, Sierra Club. Retrieved November 20, 2021.
  4. ^ "Great Basin Peaks Section List". Toiyabe Chapter, Sierra Club. Retrieved November 20, 2021.
  5. ^ "Desert Peaks Section List" (PDF). Angeles Chapter, Sierra Club. Retrieved November 20, 2021.
  6. ^ "Western States Climbers Qualifying Peak List". Climber.org. Retrieved November 20, 2021.
  7. ^ Paul Jackson, Jr. (December 1, 2021). Avi Kwa Ame: Road to 30 Postcards. Center for Western Priorities. Event occurs at 0:07. Archived from the original on March 21, 2023. Retrieved March 21, 2023.
  8. ^ "Avi Kwa Ame National Monument". Nevada Outdoor Business Coalition. 2023. Archived from the original on March 21, 2023. Retrieved March 21, 2023. Pronounced Ah-VEE kwa-ah-may.
  9. ^ Schneider, Geoffrey; Houk, Rose (1998). Lake Mead National Recreation Area Guide to Boating. Tucson, Arizona: Southwest Parks and Monuments Association. p. 54. ISBN 1-877856-78-9. Archived from the original on March 21, 2023. Retrieved March 21, 2023.
  10. ^ Munro, Pamela; Brown, Nellie; Crawford, Judith G. (1992). A Mojave Dictionary (PDF). Los Angeles: University of California. pp. 36, 123. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 21, 2023. Retrieved March 21, 2023.
  11. ^ a b c Schechter, Alex (January 24, 2023). "'The Place Where Shamans Dream': Safeguarding Spirit Mountain". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved January 25, 2023.
  12. ^ "Spirit Mountain Wilderness". Wilderness.net. Retrieved October 14, 2020.
  13. ^ a b Rothberg, Daniel (February 11, 2021). "With new administration, advocates push for national monument in Clark County". The Nevada Independent. Retrieved February 12, 2021.
  14. ^ "A Proclamation on Establishment of the Avi Kwa Ame National Monument" (Press release). The White House. March 21, 2023. Retrieved March 21, 2023.
  15. ^ Manning, Mary (October 5, 1999). "Sacred Spirit Mountain listed among historic places". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved January 25, 2023.
  16. ^ "Nevada Entries in the National Register of Historic Places: Clark County". Nevada State Historic Preservation Office. Archived from the original on July 25, 2011. Retrieved April 5, 2008.
  17. ^ "Weekly list of actions taken on properties 9/06/99 through 9/10/99". National Park Service. Retrieved April 5, 2008.
  18. ^ Boholm, Åsa; Löfstdedt, Ragnar E. "Shifting Risks: Hoover Dam Impacts on American Indian Sacred Landscapes". Faculty Siting: Risk, Power and Identity in Land Use Planning (PDF). Risk, Society and Policy Series. Vol. 8. pp. 127–143. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 9, 2010. Retrieved April 5, 2008 – via University of Arizona.
  19. ^ "Avi Kwa Ame National Monument". Bureau of Land Management.

External links