1954 Map of Carpenter Ridge

About this map

The Gunnison River corridor and its surrounding canyonlands dominate this landscape, where the waters of the Blue Mesa Reservoir fill the deep valleys at the heart of the Curecanti National Recreation Area. These 1954 surveys, updated through the early 1980s, document a transition in land use as the reservoir reshaped the river valley while the surrounding uplands like Carpenter Ridge and Sapinero Mesa remained rugged and sparsely populated. For those tracing regional ranching history, the map preserves locations such as Holman Ranch and the Old Haines Place. Industrial activity is represented by the Lily Belle Mine (Inactive) near Wildcat Gulch. The terrain is characterized by steep drainages like Fourmile Gulch and Cebolla Creek, emphasizing the isolation of the high plateaus above the river basin.