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1956 Map of Jack Creek Ranch

Name: 1956 Topographic Map of Jack Creek Ranch
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1963
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1963

About this map

Routt National Forest dominates this mid-century landscape, where the high ridges of Owl Mountain and La Fevre Ridge drop sharply toward the Illinois River. The irrigation network of the Oldenburg Ditch, Sutton Ditch, and Olive Ditch reveals a landscape managed for high-altitude ranching, supporting established sites like Jack Creek Ranch and Roslyn Ranch. The presence of a Lookout Tower on the heights of Owl Mountain underscores the essential fire-watch duties required in this timbered terrain during the 1950s.

Water management is a central theme here, with numerous diversions such as the Garland Ditch channeling runoff from the peaks. Researchers will find a mix of wilderness and early land improvement, from the quiet waters of Lily Lake near Calamity Pass to the remote Broeker Place. The intricate system of draws and creeks, including Dutchman Draw and Whiskey Creek, illustrates the complex drainage patterns feeding into the South Fork of the Michigan River.