Loading map...

1940 Map of Mount Powell

Name: 1940 Topographic Map of Mount Powell
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1940
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1940

About this map

Mt Powell stands as a high point within the Gore Range, anchoring a landscape shaped by the Blue River and the complex drainage of the Arapaho and Holy Cross National Forests. Surveyed in the early 1930s, this area reflects a period of isolated mountain ranching and early forestry, where remote homesteads like the Noohan Ranch, Abbet Place, and Smith Ranch were the primary marks of permanent settlement.

Remote education is noted at the Hillcrest Sch and Upper Sheephorn Sch, serving families scattered along the high divides and creek valleys. The map traces the Soda Springs Trail through the timbered slopes, connecting the peaks to the river valley. The region is rich in glacial water features, from the clustered Eaglesmere Lakes to Lower Cataract Lake and Mirror Lake, providing a detailed view of the water sources that fed the high-altitude ecosystem before modern development arrived in the Gore Range.