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1965 Map of Chise

Name: 1965 Topographic Map of Chise
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1982
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1982

About this map

Chise and the surrounding high desert of the Sierra Cuchillo range define this 1960s landscape, where small-scale mining and ranching persist in a complex network of canyons. The map documents a cluster of mining claims concentrated along the western slopes, including the Vindicator Mine, Confidence Mines, and the aptly named Prospectors Delight Mine. These extraction points are connected by a system of primitive routes and a Jeep Trail, illustrating the difficult logistics of mid-century prospecting in the New Mexico backcountry.

Water management is the secondary narrative of this terrain, visible through a series of isolated tanks and wells like Margarita Tank, Saphio Well, and Fita Windmill. Settlement remains sparse, represented by outposts such as Rouse Camp and Hok Ranch. The topography is dominated by the massive profile of Cuchillo Mountain and the drainage of Cuchillo Negro Creek, where Warm Springs provides a rare natural water source amidst the canyons.