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1953 Map of Merced Peak

Name: 1953 Topographic Map of Merced Peak
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1978
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1978

About this map

Merced Peak stands as a central monument in this 1950s survey of the high Sierra, where the boundaries of Yosemite National Park and Sierra National Forest converge. The landscape is defined by the headwaters of the Merced River and Illilouette Creek, showing the primitive infrastructure of the early 20th-century backcountry. High-altitude outposts like the Merced Lake Ranger Sta and Clover Meadow Ranger Sta serve as markers for early wilderness management.

Industrial activity in this remote terrain is evidenced by the Strawberry Tungsten Mine, complete with a noted tunnel, and various Prospects scattered near Quartz Mtn. Historical routes are traced through high gaps such as Isberg Pass and Fernandez Pass, which historically linked the rugged basins of Mariposa Co and Madera Co. Small shelters like Knoblock Cabin and Chetwood Cabin appear as isolated human footprints amidst an expansive network of lakes including Washburn Lake and Ottoway Lakes.