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2022 Map of Pole Creek Mountain

Name: 2022 Topographic Map of Pole Creek Mountain
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2022
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2022

About this map

Gunnison National Forest and Rio Grande National Forest meet along the high-elevation divide that bisects this terrain. The landscape is defined by the headwaters of major drainages, including the early course of the Rio Grande and Pole Creek, which carve through deep gulches below towering summits. Notable peaks such as Half Peak and Pole Creek Mtn dominate the horizon, while Cataract Lake sits within a high basin.

A complex network of backcountry routes provides access through this wilderness, most notably the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail and the Pole Creek Trail. These paths follow natural corridors like Cuba Gulch and Cataract Gulch, tracing the same remote passes used since the early days of high-country exploration. The boundary between Hinsdale and San Juan counties runs along the high ridges, marking a territory where topography has historically dictated movement and resource management.