1957 Map of Aldrich Gulch

About this map

The Wet Mountain Valley floor and the rising slopes of the Rosita Hills define the geography of this mid-century Custer County survey. Settlement in this high-altitude landscape is sparse, marked primarily by a grid of ranch roads such as Schoolfield Road and Marble Road, and the quiet presence of Silver Cliff Cemetery and Hope Cemetery. This era of land use reveals a reliance on the drainage systems of Grape Creek and its many tributaries, including Antelope Creek and the three forks of Colony Creek. Industrial activity is localized but present, indicated by a Strip Mine and Gravel Pit near Wilmer Gulch. To the west, the map captures the transition into the San Isabel National Forest, where the terrain ascends sharply toward the peaks beyond the valley floor.