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2000 Map of Boettcher Lake

Name: 2000 Topographic Map of Boettcher Lake
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2004
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2004

About this map

Shafer Ranch and Boettcher Ranch (Resort) anchor this high-altitude landscape where ranching and resource extraction intersect with the wild reaches of the Routt National Forest. The presence of several historic dwellings, including the Brown Homestead, Monahan Homestead, and Finlau Homestead, suggests a pattern of early 20th-century settlement along the eastern slopes. Industry is represented by the Monahan Coal Mine, situated near the complex irrigation networks of the Zirkel Ditch and Little Nellie Ditch.

The western portion of the map is dominated by the high peaks of the Mount Zirkel Wilderness, featuring Bear Mountain and high-country water bodies like Blue Lake and Twin Lake. A network of pack routes, such as the Ute Pass Trail and Fryingpan Trail, provides the primary access to this terrain. Below the peaks, the North Fork North Platte River meanders through the valley, supported by dozens of named irrigation channels that reflect the region's enduring agricultural heritage.