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1961 Map of Chalk Mountain

Name: 1961 Topographic Map of Chalk Mountain
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1970
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1970

About this map

Chalk Mountain and the surrounding high-altitude plateaus of the Grand Mesa National Forest and Gunnison National Forest define this landscape. In the early 1960s, this area was a complex network of managed water resources, characterized by numerous small reservoirs and stock tanks like the curiously named Holy Terror Res, Dogfish Reservoir, and Wash Tub Res. These catchments, along with the larger Overland Reservoir and the extensive Overland Ditch, reflect the critical role of water diversion and storage in the high-country ranching and irrigation systems of Mesa and Delta counties.

Terrain features such as the Lombard Slides and peaks including Crater Peak, Mt Hatten, and Priest Mountain provide distinct markers for local navigation. The land is divided into clear functional zones, from the open expanses of Mushy Park and Government Park to the steep drainages of Crater Creek and Hubbard Creek. The map documents a period before significant modern development, where jeep trails and the National Forest boundary lines were the primary markers of human presence in this wilderness setting.