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1968 Map of Mc Coy Ridge

Name: 1968 Topographic Map of Mc Coy Ridge
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1972
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1972

About this map

Mc Coy Ridge and the eastern slopes of Steens Mountain define this high-altitude landscape in Harney County. The area is characterized by a sparse, remote network of remote cabins and seasonal water sources essential for livestock and local range management. Small ranching outposts such as Catherson Cabin, Patterson Cabin, and Cullen Cabin are linked by primitive jeep trails and tracks that navigate the deep drainages of Little Bridge Creek and Big Fir Creek.

Water management is prominent across the terrain, with numerous small impoundments like Sagehen Reservoir and Witzel Reservoir providing vital catchment in an otherwise arid environment. The presence of the Glen Brown Place near Mc Coy Creek suggests the enduring legacy of family-based land use in this corner of southeastern Oregon, where the reliance on isolated springs like Willow Spring and Big Spring dictated the placement of every human structure.