1962 Map of Snake Lake

About this map

Surprise Valley and the steep eastern escarpment of the Warner Mountains dominate this 1962 landscape. The map details a transition from the high-altitude South Warner Wilderness and Modoc National Forest down to the arid valley floor, where human activity is concentrated. Water management is a central theme, evidenced by Sworinger Reservoir, the Bare Creek Ditch, and a series of high-country springs like Van Riper Spring and Waterbox. In the valley, the Bare Ranch and the adjacent Bare Ranch Airport serve as the primary landmarks of local settlement. The terrain is marked by sharp elevation changes, from the 8,713-foot summit of Hat Mountain to the expansive flats of Lower Lake, illustrating the complex drainage patterns of Silver Creek and Barber Creek as they descend from the snowmelt zones.