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1980 Map of Bonanza

Name: 1980 Topographic Map of Bonanza
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1985
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1985

About this map

Bonanza and Little Bonanza sit at the center of an intensive mining landscape during the late 1970s, where the high-altitude terrain of Saguache County is carved by deep gulches and industrial history. The area is dominated by an extensive network of mineral claims, including the Rawley Mine, Cocomongo Mine, and Bonanza Mine. The presence of the Rawley Railway and the Superior Mill suggests a complex ore processing and transport system that once thrived in these mountains.

Beyond the industrial activity, the map reveals the intersection of three major forests: Gunnison National Forest, San Isabel National Forest, and Rio Grande National Forest. The peaks, including the high Antora Peak and Porphyry Peak, rise sharply from the Kerber Creek drainage, while the Continental Divide forms the western boundary of the quadrangle. Researchers can trace the layout of legacy sites like the Brewery Creek Guard Sta and several remote gravesites tucked into the timbered slopes.