1967 Map of Klondike Mine

About this map

Rio Grande National Forest high country in Saguache County reveals a landscape shaped by mining and seasonal livestock grazing during the mid-1960s. The namesake Klondike Mine is situated centrally among the drainages of Sawlog Gulch and Findley Gulch, surrounded by numerous Prospects that indicate the area's geological promise. Settlement patterns are sparse and functional, represented by the Woodard Cow Camp and the enigmatically named Spook City near Bonita Creek. This high-elevation terrain is defined by water sources such as Cottonwood Spring, Alkali Spring, and Ute Spring, which were critical for the early range operations and mining camps. A network of unimproved dirt roads and a Jeep Trail provide the primary access through the steep drainages below Sheep Mountain and across Ute Pass.