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1912 Map of Mt. Goddard

Name: 1912 Topographic Map of Mt. Goddard
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1940
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1940

About this map

High peaks and glacial basins define this 1912 survey of the central High Sierra, where the Sierra National Forest meets the rugged divide between the San Joaquin River and the Kings River. This early topographic study documents the region's network of primitive trails and high-altitude crossings, including Muir Pass, Piute Pass, and Bishop Pass, long before modern infrastructure reached these basins. The landscape is dominated by the massive presence of Mt Goddard and the Palisades, with numerous named peaks such as Mt Darwin and Mt Haeckel honoring the naturalists of the era.

While the map focuses primarily on the wilderness terrain, it also records the earliest touches of industrial and social presence in the region. Near the eastern boundary, a Power Station and the Old Brewery mark the periphery of early alpine development. The survey captures the original water levels of high basins like Vermilion Valley and Wanda Lake before the era of major hydroelectric expansion significantly altered the Sierra's hydrology.