1961 Map of Pearl Pass

About this map

Pearl Pass serves as a high-altitude crossing between the drainage basins of Middle Brush Creek and the headwaters of the Taylor River in this 1961 survey. This portion of the Elk Mountains is defined by a dense network of primitive transportation routes, where jeep trails and pack trails navigate the steep gradients between prominent peaks like Star Peak and Italian Mtn. The landscape is divided by the Pitkin and Gunnison County line, which follows the high ridges through the White River National Forest and Gunnison National Forest. Scattered prospects and a named mine near Mount Tilton indicate the historical mining activity that once drove exploration into these high basins. The hydrology is dominated by descending drainages such as Cement Creek and Farris Creek, which carve deep valleys through the heavily timbered slopes of Teocalli Ridge and Timbered Hill.