2016 Map of Pearl Pass

About this map

The high alpine Divide between Pitkin and Gunnison counties is defined by the soaring summits of the Elk Mountains, where Pearl Pass provides a historic crossing point between these two high-altitude regions. This survey illustrates an intricate network of primitive roads and paths used for recreation and resource access, including the Brush Creek Jeep Trail and the Cumberland Basin Trail. The landscape is dominated by 13,000-foot summits like Taylor Peak, Star Peak, and Greg Mace Peak, which oversee the headwaters of the Taylor River and various forks of Brush Creek. Managed under the jurisdictions of the White River National Forest and Gunnison National Forest, the area maintains the character of a wilderness frontier. Topographic detail reveals the transition from glacial cirques like Cumberland Basin and Eyre Basin to the prominent rocky spines of Teocalli Ridge and Double Top.