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1965 Map of West Elk Peak

Name: 1965 Topographic Map of West Elk Peak
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1972
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1972

About this map

West Elk Peak dominates this high-altitude landscape in the Gunnison National Forest, where a network of drainage systems defines the topographic character. The area is marked by a series of prominent summits including North Baldy Mtn, Middle Baldy Mountain, and South Baldy Mountain, which separate the headwaters of numerous creeks. To the north, the sharp geologic forms of The Castles stand near Castle Creek, while the southwestern reach transitions toward Rainbow Lake.

A system of historic transportation is evident through the numerous routes labeled Pack Trail, tracing ridges and valley floors before the modern era of road development reached this part of the West Elk Wilderness. The drainage of Soap Basin and the course of Highline Ditch suggest early water management strategies in this part of the Gunnison range, providing a record of how this high country was navigated and utilized in the mid-1960s.