1960 Map of Fairplay West

About this map

The Middle Fork South Platte River drainage defines this high-altitude landscape, where the legacy of early Colorado resource extraction is etched into the topography. The mining industry left a complex network of infrastructure, from the Fairplay Mining Ditch and Westerman Ditch to the Old Railroad Grade running along the river. These features supported the operations at the edge of Fairplay and higher into the Pike National Forest. Evidence of vanished settlements appears at Sacramento (Site) and Horseshoe (Site), while active land use is indicated by the Barco Mine and numerous unnamed mines and prospects. Dramatic elevations are bridged by high-country routes including Browns Pass and Break Neck Pass, providing access between Sheep Mountain and the water-carved valleys of Sacramento Creek and Fourmile Creek.