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1955 Map of Norden

Name: 1955 Topographic Map of Norden
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1973
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1973

About this map

Donner Pass serves as the focal point for this survey of the Sierra Nevada crest, captured just as the winter recreation economy was maturing alongside traditional transit corridors. The Southern Pacific railroad winds through the complex topography, passing through numerous snowsheds and tunnels near the settlement of Norden. This high-altitude landscape is defined by the early development of Sugar Bowl, featuring an Aerial Tramway and Ski Lifts on the slopes of Mt Disney and Mt Lincoln.

Water and wilderness history intersect here, from the expansive Donner Lake in the east to the headwaters of the South Fork Yuba River. Historical sites like the Old Stanford Wood Camp (Site) near Coldstream Creek reflect the area's 19th-century resource extraction, while the Peter Grubb Hut and the Tahoe National Forest boundary indicate the region's mid-century shift toward conservation and alpine sport.