1964 Map of Snowdon Peak

About this map

The Animas River corridor serves as the primary artery through this high-altitude landscape within the San Juan National Forest. During the mid-1960s, the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad remained the critical transit link through the canyon, supporting the small settlement of Needleton and the nearby Needleton Water Tank. This survey captures the remote intersection of the Grenadier Range and the Needle Mountains, characterized by sharp peaks such as Mount Garfield, Snowdon Peak, and Pigeon Peak. To the west, the landscape is punctuated by alpine waters like Molas Lake and Andrews Lake near Molas Pass, where Highway 550 winds through the high country. The map illustrates the concentration of human activity along the river valley and the rail line, contrasted against the massive, unnamed reaches of the high San Juan summits.