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1960 Map of Calamity Mesa

Name: 1960 Topographic Map of Calamity Mesa
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1961
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1961

About this map

Calamity Camp and Arrowhead Camp anchor this rugged section of the Colorado plateau, reflecting a landscape defined by mid-century uranium and vanadium prospecting. The terrain is a complex network of high mesas and deep drainages, where Potato Mountain rises above the vast expanse of Outlaw Mesa and Calamity Mesa. The map reveals a high density of mining activity, with numerous named operations like the Hidden Treasure Mine, Cliffdweller Mines, and the Stormy Treasure Mine dotting the canyon walls.

Watercourses such as Calamity Creek and Blue Creek have carved deep incisions into the earth, including Maverick Canyon and Dark Canyon. Within the Uncompahgre National Forest, the distribution of mining shafts, such as the G-2 Shaft, and remote outposts like Climax Camp illustrates the industrial isolation of this era. The concentration of these features suggests a period of intense subterranean exploration during the height of the Cold War mineral boom.