1958 Map of Grays Peak

About this map

The Continental Divide snakes through this high-altitude landscape of the Arapaho National Forest, where the headwaters of Clear Creek and the North Fork Snake River begin their descent on opposite sides of the ridge. This 1958 survey captures a terrain defined by extensive mining operations and the early development of recreational skiing. High peaks like Grays Peak and Torreys Peak tower over a labyrinth of gulches and valleys that once hummed with industrial activity. The settlement of Graymont serves as a focal point along the road corridor, while the presence of the Arapaho Basin Ski Area at the western edge of the sheet indicates the shifting economic focus toward winter tourism. Numerous subterranean works, including the San Juan Tunnel and Grizzly Tunnel, are mapped alongside high-elevation extraction sites such as the Santiago Mine and Waldorf Mine, documenting the complex network of 20th-century silver and gold exploration in the Colorado high country.