1958 Map of East Portal

About this map

The Continental Divide serves as the backbone of this high-altitude survey, marking the boundary between the Arapaho National Forest to the west and the Roosevelt National Forest to the east. At the lower elevations, the East Portal of the Moffat Tunnel stands as a critical piece of infrastructure for the Denver and Rio Grande Western railroad, providing passage through the formidable Front Range. The landscape is dotted with high-alpine water bodies such as Jasper Lake, Forest Lakes, and the Crater Lakes, many of which feed into South Boulder Creek. Higher peaks like Chittenden Mtn and Mt Epworth dominate the skyline, while specialized structures like the CAA Radiobeacon near Rollins Pass and the Skyscraper Reservoir suggest the various ways this wilderness was used for navigation and water management in the late 1950s.