1963 Map of Alpine Plateau

About this map

Uncompahgre National Forest dominates this high-altitude landscape, where several private holdings such as Wilson Ranch and Thomas Ranch sit alongside the winding Lake Fork Gunnison River. The map reveals a land defined by mountain ranching and resource management in the early 1960s, evidenced by a network of water improvements including the No 1 Thompson Ditch and No 2 Thompson Ditch near Thompson Ranch. High on the Alpine Plateau, a Stock Driveway suggests the seasonal movement of livestock through the terrain, while the Alpine Guard Station and Ute Trail Ranch provide localized landmarks for those tracing the history of land use in this part of the Colorado Rockies. Natural drainage is complex here, with West Fork Willow Creek and East Fork Willow Creek carving deep into the plateau's northern reaches.