1970 Map of Vail East

About this map

Vail sits at the edge of this high-altitude landscape, captured in 1970 as the area began its transition into a world-class outdoor destination. The map illustrates the early footprint of the Ski Area and the Gore Creek Golf Course, marking the arrival of recreational infrastructure alongside the Gore Creek valley. Much of the sheet is dominated by the protected wilderness of the Arapaho National Forest and White River National Forest, where the terrain climbs toward peaks like Bald Mountain. Numerous high-country water bodies, including Upper Piney Lake, Booth Lake, and Pitkin Lake, are connected by a network of historic routes such as the Booth Pack Trail. This survey documents the valley just as modern development started to interface with the surrounding backcountry drainage systems of Piney River and Pitkin Creek.