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1967 Map of Mount Sneffels

Name: 1967 Topographic Map of Mount Sneffels
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1987
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1987

About this map

Uncompahgre National Forest encompasses the high-altitude terrain shown here, where water management and mining historically shaped the San Juan Mountains landscape. The 1967 field check and subsequent 1980s updates reveal a complex network of ditches like the Ridgeway Town Ditch and Dutch Canyon Ditch, illustrating early water engineering efforts to divert flows from Dallas Creek across the high plateaus. Evidence of former industry remains visible through the Old RR Grade in the northwest and the Blaine Mine tucked into Blaine Basin near the southern peaks.

Legacy encampments and family-named springs, including Vance Place, McClure Camp, and Homer Brown Spring, point to a history of seasonal work or ranching in these high basins. The topography is dominated by the soaring heights of Mount Sneffels and Wolcott Mountain, providing a stark contrast to the low-lying Willow Swamp and the secluded Blue Lakes. This survey preserves the technical details of the land's transition from active mining and logging towards the establishment of the Mount Sneffels Wilderness.