1967 Map of Sargents Mesa

About this map

The Continental Divide snake-like through the high country of the Cochetopa Hills, marking the fundamental hydrographic split between the Gunnison National Forest and the Rio Grande National Forest. This 1960s survey documents a landscape of high-altitude drainages, where the West Fork Gunnison River and Marshall Creek gather headwaters. An Old RR Grade is visible in the northeast corner near Marshall Creek, a remnant of former industrial transport through this difficult terrain. Local travel in the late 1960s was defined by a network of Pack Trails and Jeep Trails, providing access to remote points like the Long Branch Guard Station and the prominence of Long Branch Baldy. The map also details smaller features such as Baldy Lake and the open flats of Firebox Park, illustrating the mix of timbered slopes and open subalpine meadows typical of the Saguache County high country.