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1955 Map of Pitchpine Mountain

Name: 1955 Topographic Map of Pitchpine Mountain
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1957
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1957

About this map

High-country ranching and complex water engineering define this landscape within the Routt National Forest during the mid-1950s. The eastern slopes of Pitchpine Mountain descend into a territory marked by family operations like the Carlstrom Brothers Ranch, Brands Ranch, and Irvine Ranch. The irrigation of these high valleys is documented through an extensive network of gravity-fed water systems, including the Lillie Ditch, Boulder Erika Ditch, and Wolfer Ditch, which redirect snowmelt from the mountain forks to sustain local pastures.

Deep in the western wilderness, high-altitude water bodies such as Ceanothus Lake, Middle Rainbow Lake, and Lower Rainbow Lake sit near the rugged Roaring Fork Canyon. Established access routes like the Grizzly Helena Trail and Lone Pine Trail connect these remote basins to Livingston Park, reflecting the region's dual use for livestock grazing and early backcountry recreation. A lone Artesian Well and several secluded campgrounds further emphasize the scattered, functional nature of human presence in this Jackson County terrain.