1960 Map of Capitol Peak

About this map

Elk Mountains peaks and high-alpine basins dominate this mid-century survey of the Pitkin County high country. The landscape is defined by the sharp profile of Capitol Peak, flanked by Mount Daly and Clark Peak. This area remained a bastion of wilderness, managed as part of the White River National Forest and protected within the Maroon Bells Snowmass Wilderness. Human infrastructure is sparse, limited to the Snowmass Falls Ranch and the Capitol Creek Guard Station near the northern boundary. Dozens of glacial water bodies, including the Pierre Lakes, Moon Lake, and Avalanche Lake, dot the cirques. A complex network of labeled pack trails provides the only access through the steep terrain, tracing routes along Snowmass Creek and over the high Heckert Pass, reflecting the era's reliance on traditional backcountry travel long before modern road expansion.