1973 Map of Palomino Mountain

About this map

The Continental Divide snake-like path through this high mountain wilderness defines the drainage patterns of the Rio Grande National Forest and San Juan National Forest. Surveyed in the early 1970s, the terrain is shaped by severe elevations where the headwaters of the Middle Fork Piedra River and East Trout Creek begin their descent. This is a landscape mapped primarily for water management and transit, as evidenced by Gaging Stations near Piedra Pass. Extensive pack trails provide the only named infrastructure through steep features like Porphyry Gulch and Dark Can, connecting remote high-altitude points such as Palomino Mountain and Sugarloaf Mountain. Isolated water bodies like Window Lake and Monument Lake highlight the high-basin topography where the Mineral County line traverses the peaks.