# Wanted: a hone in the shadow of the Mountain(s) of Doom. **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 4, 2013, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wanted-a-hone-in-the-shadow-of-the-mountain-s-of-doom/660108 "2013-06-04T12:58:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2013, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wanted-a-hone-in-the-shadow-of-the-mountain-s-of-doom/660108/21 "2013-06-07T18:41:59Z")
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hell,\_Arizona](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hell,_Arizona) > [@](#): > > The U.S. state of Arizona has more places with the word “Hell” in their names than any other state of the United States.[1] In 1994, the U.S. Geological Survey listed 60 such place names.[2] These include: > two Hell’s Gates,[1] one in Coronado National Forest[2] > Hell’s Hip Pocket in Maricopa County[2][1] > Hell’s Tank near to the Grand Canyon[2] > four separate Hell Canyons,[1] three of which are in Yavapai County[2] > five Hell’s Half Acres,[1] one near Payson[2] > Hell’s Half Acre Canyon[1] > Hell Point[2] > seven Hell’s Holes, in Greenlee, Apache, Yavapai, Mohave, and Gila counties[1] > Hell Hole in Booger Canyon[2] > Hell Hole Valley[1] > two Hell’s Hole Canyons[1] > Hell’s Hole Creek[1] > Hellzapoppin’ Creek[2] > Helldive Spring[1] > Hellgate Mountain[1] > Hell’s Hole Peak[1] > In comparison, Utah has only 46 such places, and California only 45.[1] ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2013, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wanted-a-hone-in-the-shadow-of-the-mountain-s-of-doom/660108/22 "2013-06-07T19:08:25Z")
> [@dracoi](#): > > Well… if we’re going with devil-related non-mountains, it’s hard to beat [Diablo Canyon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diablo_Canyon_Power_Plant). Of course, you can’t live there because they built a nuclear power plant in it, so you’ll have to settle for working there. I remember in my younger days seeing anti-nuclear protestors marching out in front of the Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant, probably in the wake of the Three Mile Island incident. They were carrying signs with various anti-nuclear slogans on them. To this day, I’m surprised that **NONE** of them carried a sign saying “Diablo means the devil!” ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2013, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wanted-a-hone-in-the-shadow-of-the-mountain-s-of-doom/660108/23 "2013-06-07T19:59:26Z")
I’m particular to [Bumpass Hell](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geothermal_areas_in_Lassen_Volcanic_National_Park) (sic). Semi-close to a mountain, and lots of smoke and brimstone. Like some above, you’d have to squat to live in a National Park. ---
**Author:** ![Gilbert1984](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7ba0ec/32.png) [@Gilbert1984](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gilbert1984)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2013, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wanted-a-hone-in-the-shadow-of-the-mountain-s-of-doom/660108/24 "2013-06-07T20:51:07Z")
> [@tomndebb](#): > > A shorter trip with no language issues: [Hell](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hell,_Michigan), [Michigan](http://www.gotohellmi.com/). Sorry, that’s a fake Hell. It has a distinct lack of [lutefisk](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lutefisk) ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2013, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wanted-a-hone-in-the-shadow-of-the-mountain-s-of-doom/660108/25 "2013-06-07T22:44:37Z")
> [@](#): > > The U.S. state of Arizona has more places with the word “Hell” in their names than any other state of the United States.[1] In 1994, the U.S. Geological Survey listed 60 such place names.[2] These include: That explains the souvenir mug that declared “ARIZONA: 200 miles from water, 6 feet from Hell!” ---
**Author:** ![Civil\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d78d45/32.png) [@Civil\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Civil_Guy)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2013, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wanted-a-hone-in-the-shadow-of-the-mountain-s-of-doom/660108/26 "2013-06-08T02:09:48Z")
You’ll want to get in some golf, right? Devils Golf Course, Death Valley National Park, California. ---
**Author:** ![Srsly\_Dad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@Srsly\_Dad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Srsly_Dad)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2013, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wanted-a-hone-in-the-shadow-of-the-mountain-s-of-doom/660108/27 "2013-06-10T17:52:13Z")
> [@Gilbert1984](#): > > Sorry, that’s a fake Hell. It has a distinct lack of [lutefisk](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lutefisk) But they do have a 10 mile race (and 4.8 mile weenie run) featuring the “I ran through Hell T Shirt” [http://www.active.com/running/pinckney-mi/run-thru-hell-2013](http://www.active.com/running/pinckney-mi/run-thru-hell-2013) ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2013, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wanted-a-hone-in-the-shadow-of-the-mountain-s-of-doom/660108/28 "2013-06-10T17:57:35Z")
We have the Dead River here in my neck of the woods. Maybe a good vacation spot for you? ---
**Author:** ![robert\_columbia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@robert\_columbia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robert_columbia)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2013, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wanted-a-hone-in-the-shadow-of-the-mountain-s-of-doom/660108/29 "2013-06-10T18:41:43Z")
Some ominous place names in the US that you can move to are Death Valley (most of it seems to be parkland, but there is at least one regular town, Furnace Creek, CA, which is over 50m below sea level and has an ominous place name itself), Calaveras County, CA (calavera means skull in Spanish) - Mark Twain wrote about it, Tombstone, AZ, Deadhorse, AK, the Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood of NYC, Isla Culebra (“Snake Island”, in the Caribbean and part of Puerto Rico), Lost City, WV (actually not that hard to find - it’s near Harrisonburg, VA), Hell’s Half Acre, WY, Some places that you can’t move to because they are parks or nature reserves: Caja de Muertos, PR (“box of the dead”, i.e. “dead man’s chest”, fifteen men and a bottle of Puerto Rican rum optional) Hell’s Half Acre Lava Field, ID (though Wikipedia is not clear as to whether all of it is parkland or whether one could theoretically buy a parcel) ---
**Author:** ![Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freddy_the_Pig)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2013, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wanted-a-hone-in-the-shadow-of-the-mountain-s-of-doom/660108/30 "2013-06-10T18:42:53Z")
Why is half acre such a common pairing with hell? Is it just because of the alliteration? It occurs to me that “hectare” would work as well. I was just in Death Valley this past weekend (Saturday high: 126), enjoying the devil’s golf course, corn field, and hole. Good old Scratch, he owns the weirdest things in the weirdest places. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2013, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wanted-a-hone-in-the-shadow-of-the-mountain-s-of-doom/660108/31 "2013-06-10T21:02:17Z")
There’s [Devils Lake](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devils_Lake_(Oregon)) in Oregon. The town next to had been known as Devils Lake as well, but people were uncomfortable with it so it became Delake. It was later incorporated into Lincoln City but the area is still called Devils Lake. The outflow from Devils Lake to the Pacific was also Devils River but got shortened to [D River](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D_River). Not only is that the shortest named river in the world, it is also one of the shortest rivers in length. Of course it wouldn’t be a true Devils Lake without the mythology of a monster from the Native American days. Unfortunately, the lake is so small no monster of noticeable size could possibly hide in it. Loch Ness it ain’t. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2013, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wanted-a-hone-in-the-shadow-of-the-mountain-s-of-doom/660108/32 "2013-06-10T21:10:56Z")
Gallows Hill in Salem, Massachusetts might fill the bill. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2013, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wanted-a-hone-in-the-shadow-of-the-mountain-s-of-doom/660108/33 "2013-06-10T22:57:16Z")
What’s the problem with a place being covered by national park? All the OP needs to do is to visit the place with a strop and a pocketknife, and he can have his hone. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2013, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wanted-a-hone-in-the-shadow-of-the-mountain-s-of-doom/660108/34 "2013-06-11T13:52:01Z")
Mount Erebus or Mount Terror, except they’re pretty cold, being in Antarctica and all. ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2013, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wanted-a-hone-in-the-shadow-of-the-mountain-s-of-doom/660108/35 "2013-06-11T16:46:59Z")
You could live on the outskirts of the[Dismal Swamp](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Dismal_Swamp). ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2013, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wanted-a-hone-in-the-shadow-of-the-mountain-s-of-doom/660108/36 "2013-06-11T21:57:53Z")
Lot’s of places with interesting names over her in the UK: Cock Hill, London Beaver Close, Surrey Bell End near Lickey End Birmingham Ugley, Essex Scratchy Bottom, Dorset Beggars Bush, Sussex Maybe Helstone in Cornwall would suit? ---
**Author:** ![Detroit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/45deac/32.png) [@Detroit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Detroit)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2013, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wanted-a-hone-in-the-shadow-of-the-mountain-s-of-doom/660108/37 "2013-06-12T13:10:30Z")
"If I owned Texas and Hell, I would rent Texas and live in Hell” General Philip Sheridan,1866 ---
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_Panic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/don_t_panic/32/398_2.png) [@Don\_t\_Panic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_Panic)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2013, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wanted-a-hone-in-the-shadow-of-the-mountain-s-of-doom/660108/38 "2013-06-14T04:19:10Z")
If you still want to go to Hell but don’t fancy either Norway or Michigan, Satan’s Kingdom is apparently in [Massachusetts](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satans_Kingdom,_Massachusetts). And in [Vermont](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satans_Kingdom,_Vermont). ---
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_Panic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/don_t_panic/32/398_2.png) [@Don\_t\_Panic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_Panic)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2013, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wanted-a-hone-in-the-shadow-of-the-mountain-s-of-doom/660108/39 "2013-06-14T04:27:33Z")
Also, by the way, if you’re willing to negotiate a bit on the “human habitation” part, [there’s a Mount Doom on Titan](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doom_Mons). > [@](#): > > Doom Mons is named after Mount Doom, a volcano that appears in J. R. R. Tolkien’s fictional world of Middle-earth, most prominently in The Lord of the Rings. The name follows a convention by the IAU Working Group for Planetary System Nomenclature that Titanian mountains are named after mountains in Tolkien’s works. Other examples of Titanian mountains or mountain ranges named after Tolkien’s works include Erebor Mons, Irensaga Montes, Mindolluin Montes, Misty Montes, Mithrim Montes, and Taniquetil Montes. The name of Mount Doom was formally announced for the Titanian mountain on November 13, 2012. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wanted-a-hone-in-the-shadow-of-the-mountain-s-of-doom/660108.md?page=1)