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1961 Map of Whitehorse Rincon

Name: 1961 Topographic Map of Whitehorse Rincon
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1963
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1963

About this map

The Continental Divide snake-traverses this arid portion of the high desert, marking the watershed divide across the high plateau of northwestern New Mexico. The landscape is dominated by the massive Chaco Mesa, which rises sharply above the surrounding plains with its complex system of canyons and escarpments, including the Whitehorse Rincon and Mesa Cortada.

Ephemeral water sources and early pastoral infrastructure are critical markers of human presence in this sparsely populated region during the early 1960s. Surveyors documented the Johnson Tank and Sand Springs as vital landmarks in an environment where the North Fork Arroyo Chico provides one of the few drainage paths. Of particular interest to topographic historians is the VABM 6825 Hogan, a vertical angle bench mark named for the traditional Navajo dwellings common to this high-altitude landscape.