1954 Map of Mc Intosh Mountain

About this map

Harris Hereford Ranch and Steuben Ranch sit along the drainage of Beaver Creek, anchoring a landscape of high-country ranching and mid-century recreation. While the northern half of the map is dominated by the topography of Mc Intosh Mountain and the Gunnison National Forest, the southern edge reveals the influence of the Gunnison River. This area represents a point of change in the early 1970s, as the development of the reservoir system began to alter the river valley. The map documents early-stage water management with Blue Mesa Reservoir South and local tourist interests at Neversink Resort and Coopers Resort. Numerous named gulches, such as Reed Gulch and Mc Kinley Gulch, descend from the ridges toward Sun Park, illustrating the complex watershed that historically supported the high-altitude cattle operations of Steinbergen Ranch and its neighbors.