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1961 Map of Spruce Mountain

Name: 1961 Topographic Map of Spruce Mountain
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1984
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1984

About this map

Spruce Mountain and Oil Well Mountain dominate this high-altitude landscape where the boundaries of the Grand Mesa National Forest, White River National Forest, and Gunnison National Forest converge. The topography is defined by a dense network of drainages, including Muddy Creek, Buzzard Creek, and Crane Creek, which carve through the plateau. Evidence of resource exploration is present at Oil Well and a documented Drill Hole near Cox Spring, reflecting the mid-century industrial interest in these remote reaches of the Western Slope.

A notable geological and ecological feature is the large area designated as The Burn, situated just west of the Muddy Basin and No Good Park. These labels, along with local landmarks like Ruth Mountain and Logpile Flat, provide a specific nomenclature for the ridgelines and meadows used by foresters and early survey teams. The inclusion of a Gaging Station on Muddy Creek underscores the importance of water management in this complex watershed system during the early 1960s.