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2022 Map of Blackhead Peak

Name: 2022 Topographic Map of Blackhead Peak
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2022
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2022

About this map

San Juan National Forest covers the high alpine reaches of the Southern Rockies in this 2022 survey, defined by the towering summits of Blackhead Peak and Squaretop Mtn. The landscape is a complex network of glacial-carved ridges and river basins, where the headwaters of the Rio Blanco and Rito Blanco begin their descent. While much of the terrain is wild and dominated by landmarks like The Needles and Quartz Ridge, evidence of human activity is found in the scattered structures at Oppenheimer and the established routes into the Blanco Basin.

A legacy of water management and recreation is visible through the engineering of the Echo Ditch and a system of high-altitude trails. Routes such as the Quartz Ridge Trl and Blanco River Trl provide access to remote water bodies like Quartz Lake and Beaver Lake. The map illustrates a contemporary balance between the preserved wilderness of the national forest and the small-scale settlements and infrastructure tucked into the lower valleys.