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1953 Map of Devils Postpile

Name: 1953 Topographic Map of Devils Postpile
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1957
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1957

About this map

Devils Postpile National Monument serves as the central landmark for this High Sierra landscape, where the unique columnar basalt of the Devils Postpile stands near the Middle Fork of the San Joaquin River. The 1953 field check captures the area at a point of recreational transition, documenting the early footprint of the Mammoth Mtn Ski Lodge and its associated ski lifts alongside long-established backcountry outposts like Bugg Cabin and Chetwood.

Resource extraction and mountain travel are etched into the terrain at the Minaret Mine and across high passes such as Minaret Summit and Deadman Pass. The map details a complex network of high-altitude water bodies, from the sprawling Thousand Island Lake and Garnet Lake to the controlled waters of Gem Lake and Waugh Lake. For researchers, the presence of the Reds Meadow R S and Reds Meadow Hot Springs highlights the enduring role of the San Joaquin valley as a corridor for both administrative forestry and early mountain tourism.