1974 Map of Sitton Peak

About this map

Sitton Peak dominates the center of this orthophotograph, serving as a primary high point for the surrounding Santa Ana Mountains. Unlike a traditional line-drawn map, this 1974 aerial survey provides a direct photographic view of the landscape, capturing the precise texture of the drainage systems and ridgelines. The network of deep ravines includes Morrell Canyon in the north and the extensive San Mateo Canyon reaching into the southern portion of the sheet. Produced in cooperation with the Orange County Board of Supervisors, the map highlights the area's undeveloped character during the mid-1970s. Tracing the steep walls of Bluemater Canyon and Tenaja Canyon reveals the complex erosion patterns and vegetation density that defined this portion of the Riverside and Orange County borderlands before modern expansion.