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2017 Map of Big Triangle

Name: 2017 Topographic Map of Big Triangle
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2017
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2017

About this map

The Colorado River carves a deep path through the high desert of Grand County in this topographic study, creating a series of dramatic canyon systems and river obstacles. The waterway is punctuated by several noted hazards, including Skull Rapids, Sock It To Me Rapids, and Last Chance Rapids, indicating the volatile nature of the river as it passes through Westwater Canyon and Marble Canyon. The surrounding terrain is defined by complex erosional features such as Big Hole, Trail Canyon, and Star Canyon, which drain the surrounding mesas into the river corridor.

Evidence of the region's geography is seen in named landmarks like Big Triangle and Little Triangle, which rise above several ephemeral drainages including Renegade Cr and Ryan Cr. The map captures a largely unpopulated landscape where life is tied to the water and the wind, from the broad Grand Valley to the isolated Sand Flat. This 2017 data provides a detailed look at the intersection of canyon geology and the hydrology of the Colorado River basin.