1954 Map of West Elk Peak SW

About this map

Gunnison National Forest dominates this mid-century landscape, where a complex network of drainages flows southward toward the Dillon Mesa region. The topography is defined by the sharp vertical relief between landmarks like Tenderfoot Hill and the deep incisions of West Elk Creek and East Elk Creek. The nomenclature of the gulches, such as Slab Mill Gulch and Burnt Mill Gulch, points to a history of timber processing and past wildfires that shaped the forest's early character.