1955 Map of Handies Peak

About this map

Animas Forks (Aband) and Eureka (Aband) represent the high-altitude mining heritage of the San Juan Mountains as they appeared in the mid-1950s. This survey of the Silverton district illustrates an intensive industrial landscape where mining operations like the Sunnyside Mine, Gold Prince Mine, and Silver Queen Mine are perched among steep drainage basins. The map traces the critical transportation routes through the high country, including the Pack Trail networks and high-elevation crossings at Cinnamon Pass and Denver Pass. Water management for extraction is evident in the numerous gulches and basins, from Poughkeepsie Gulch to American Basin, which feed the Animas River and Lake Fork Gunnison River. The intersection of Uncompahgre National Forest, San Juan National Forest, and Gunnison National Forest highlights the region's managed transition from active industrial extraction to protected wilderness surrounding landmarks like Handies Peak.