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1955 Map of Norden

Name: 1955 Topographic Map of Norden
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1961
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1961

About this map

The high Sierra Nevada crest at Donner Pass is captured here during the mid-1950s, a landscape defined by its critical transportation and recreation infrastructure. The Southern Pacific railroad dominates the terrain, featuring extensive Snowsheds and a Tunnel to navigate the heavy mountain snows. Near the settlement of Norden, the presence of an Aerial Tramway, Sugar Bowl, and peaks like Mt Disney and Mount Judah highlight the area's development into a premier winter sports destination.

Lower elevations show the transition from industrial history to public recreation. The Old Stanford Wood Camp (Site) near Coldstream Creek points to early logging eras, while the eastern edge of the map features Donner Memorial State Park on the shores of Donner Lake. This survey provides a precise look at the Sierra's drainage patterns, from the South Yuba River and Lake Van Norden to the remote Peter Grubb Hut in Tahoe National Forest.