1954 Map of Iris NW

About this map

Gold Basin Creek and South Beaver Creek define the drainage patterns of this high-altitude landscape south of Gunnison, captured during a 1954 field check with aerial updates through 1970. The terrain is characterized by a network of drainage features like Long Gulch, Stubbs Gulch, and Chance Gulch, which carve through the high country. A significant administrative boundary, the New Mexico Principal Meridian, runs vertically through the eastern portion of the survey, while the county line for Gunnison Co and Saguache Co crosses the central area. Human activity in this remote region is indicated primarily by a sparse network of Jeep Trails and a solitary Landing Field situated near the eastern edge, reflecting a period when access to these high basins relied on rugged utility vehicles and light aircraft rather than developed roads.