Mission

Fly with Conservation Lands Foundation over Gold Butte National Monument.

Gold Butte National Monument protects roughly 300,000 acres sandwiched between the Colorado Plateau and the Mojave Desert to the west. Rising thousands of vertical feet from the Colorado and Virgin Rivers, the rugged desert peaks contain sandstones, limestones, and ancient granitic rocks that have been contorted into a fascinating patchwork of color and topography. This landscape supports important species like the Desert Bighorn and Mojave Desert Tortoise in an ecologically significant transition zone. Additionally, it has a rich cultural history dating back over 12,000 years, attesting to indigenous people’s remarkable abilities to provide sustenance in this dramatic and harsh landscape; a place the Southern Paiute people continue to have a deep spiritual and cultural connection with.

Our flight began as we climbed over the nation’s largest reservoir. Although only 32% full and roughly 170 feet down from full pool, the immensity of the nearly 250 square mile reservoir (Lake Mead) was inescapable. The large bathtub ring was an obvious sign of ongoing and persistent drought that is certainly having an impact on the region's hydrology, vegetation and wildlife. It was easy to imagine how the springs, seeps, and riparian habitats have all been negatively impacted by climate change-reinforcing the importance of the monument's protected status.

The aerial perspective we gained while flying over Little Finland in the northern portion helped us appreciate the connectivity to the Virgin Mountains and showcased the diversity of vegetation from desert scrublands to woodlands on pinyon pine, juniper, and even relict stands of Douglas and white fir. As we traversed south we could see colorful ridges and hogbacks bisected by large bajadas. Even further south, ancient granite rocks dominated the vistas and we got a glimpse of the Gold Butte townsite.

As we began our descent towards the sprawling metropolis of 2.4 million people in a region that receives less than 5” of rain annually, the immensity of the challenges ahead filtered back into our minds. Ecoflight’s partners are working hard during these challenging times to protect landscapes, ecosystems and culturally significant areas through a variety of tools including mineral withdrawals, land-use plans, and wilderness designation to name a few.

Photos from the flights.