1957 Map of Mc Henrys Peak

About this map

The Continental Divide carves a jagged path through this high-altitude landscape, separating the headwaters of the Big Thompson River from the westward-draining slopes of Rocky Mountain National Park. This 1957 field-checked survey reveals the dramatic glacial geology of the era, where active ice masses like Sprague Glacier and Tyndall Glacier sit adjacent to deep basins such as Glacier Gorge. The map documents the infrastructure of park management and early tourism, noting the Ranger Station near Bierstadt Lake and a remote Patrol Cabin situated along the drainage of Spruce Creek. High-elevation passes including Sprague Pass and Ptarmigan Pass offer a record of the primitive routes used to navigate these peaks before modern development, while the northern edge shows the early alignment of the Trail Ridge Road as it skirts the glacial cirques.