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2011 Map of Cathedral Peak

Name: 2011 Topographic Map of Cathedral Peak
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2011
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2011

About this map

Gould Reservoir and the Onion Valley Dam serve as the hydrologic anchor for this high-altitude landscape in Montrose County, where water management is etched into the terrain. The map reveals an intricate network of irrigation and water transport, including the Cattlemans Ditch, Fruitland Mesa Ditch, and Mesa Creek Ditch, which redirect flow from natural drainages like Crystal Creek and Alkali Creek. These systems support local ranching hubs such as Gates Camp and Onion Valley.

In the southern reaches, the geography drops toward the Gunnison River at Pool Gulch, near the site of the Crystal Dam and its accompanying Crystal Reservoir. The high plateaus of Black Mesa and Dead Horse Mesa dominate the skyline, while specialized landmarks like Cathedral Peak and the Bottle Stomp Reservoir highlight the intersection of natural topography and remote land use in early 21st-century Colorado.