1965 Map of Squirrel Creek

About this map

Gunnison National Forest and the West Elk Wilderness dominate this high-country landscape, revealing a complex network of water management and extraction infrastructure from the mid-1960s. The eastern portion of the sheet is defined by the valley of Ohio Creek, where an Old Railroad Grade follows the water, marking the path of former narrow-gauge routes that once served the region's mining interests. Small-scale operations such as the Smith Mine and Hinkle Mine are visible, while numerous irrigation projects like the Eilebrecht Ditch No 1, Stratman Ditch, and Little Mill Ditch illustrate the diversion of mountain runoff to support valley agriculture. Named peaks like The Pie stand above a series of deep drainages including Mill Creek and Cunningham Creek, connected by the Lowline Trail and Mill Castle Trail.