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1960 Map of Calamity Mesa

Name: 1960 Topographic Map of Calamity Mesa
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1987
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1987

About this map

Mining operations and remote seasonal settlements define this 1960 survey of the plateau country along the boundary of Mesa and Montrose Counties. The landscape is dominated by high mesas, including Calamity Mesa and Outlaw Mesa, which are incised by the deep drainage of Blue Creek. The density of industrial labels such as the Arrowhead Mines, Blue Creek Mines, and Calamity Mines indicates an era of intensive uranium and vanadium prospecting in the Colorado Plateau.

Smaller individual sites like the Hidden Treasure Mine and Stormy Treasure Mine are scattered across the terrain, supported by localized basecamps including Arrowhead Camp, Calamity Camp, and Climax Camp. The eastern portion of the map transitions into the Uncompahgre National Forest, where the topography rises toward Pine Hill. This survey captures a moment when mechanical exploration, evidenced by the G 2 Shafts, was actively reshaping these isolated landforms.