{"product_id":"old-map-of-alta-utah-by-usgs-1955-snowbird-little-cottonwood-canyon-wasatch-range","title":"Old Map of Alta, Utah by USGS, 1955 – Snowbird, Little Cottonwood Canyon \u0026 Wasatch Range","description":"\u003cp\u003ePublished in 1957 from 1955 mapping, the US Geological Survey’s “Dromedary Peak” captures a dramatic sector of Utah’s Wasatch Range at the intimate 1:24,000 scale. Centered on the rugged heights above Little Cottonwood Canyon, the map records Alta, Snowbird, Dromedary Peak, and the surrounding alpine basins at a moment when the mountains were beginning to shift from mining-era remoteness toward modern recreation. Its title peak rises among tightly packed contours, steep drainages, and high ridgelines, giving the sheet a powerful sense of verticality. For collectors, it is a portrait of a mountain landscape on the cusp of transformation, where roads, trails, lakes, and forest boundaries reveal both wilderness character and the first outlines of a burgeoning ski country.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe USGS was uniquely suited to render this terrain with authority. Founded in the late nineteenth century to classify public lands and examine the nation’s geology, the agency became America’s preeminent maker of scientific topographic maps. By the mid-twentieth century, its quadrangles were indispensable tools for engineers, foresters, miners, planners, mountaineers, and government agencies. In “Dromedary Peak,” that institutional precision is evident in every contour interval, stream course, road classification, and place name. The map is not decorative in the conventional sense, yet its disciplined design has a quiet elegance: a muted palette, carefully lettered names, and finely drawn relief combine to make the Wasatch appear both measurable and majestic.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlta and Snowbird give the map particular historical resonance. Alta, once a silver-mining settlement, had already begun its reinvention as a ski destination by the time this map was compiled, while Snowbird’s later rise as a major resort would make Little Cottonwood Canyon internationally famous. Here, before the full scale of recreational development, the canyon is shown as a steep, narrow corridor framed by Grizzly Gulch, Cardiff Fork, and imposing mountain walls. Roads and trails thread through the terrain, hinting at access but never diminishing the severity of the landscape. The sheet preserves the geography that made the area legendary: deep snow, abrupt relief, high basins, and an alpine setting close to Salt Lake Valley yet seemingly remote.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBeyond Little Cottonwood Canyon, the map opens into a rich network of Wasatch landmarks. Big Cottonwood Canyon, Brighton, Mill D South Fork, Twin Lakes, Silver Lake, Lake Mary, Lake Martha, Red Pine Lake, and the Cottonwood Lakes appear amid ridges and cirques shaped by water, ice, and elevation. Big Cottonwood Ridge and Murdock Peak help define the region’s complicated mountain architecture, while streams descend through narrow forks toward lower valleys. The inclusion of Utah National Forest underscores the federal management of these high watersheds, prized for timber, water, wildlife, and recreation. Seen together, the named lakes and drainages form an alpine mosaic, the kind of terrain that rewards both scientific study and imaginative exploration.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCartographically, the sheet’s appeal lies in the way its classic topographic language makes the Wasatch legible. Dense contour lines bunch together on precipitous slopes, relax around basins and lakes, and bend around gullies with remarkable clarity. The result is a map that suggests three-dimensional form without pictorial embellishment, allowing the eye to climb Dromedary Peak, follow canyon floors, and trace ridgelines across the page. Road classifications and varied trails record the human routes through this demanding landscape, while streams and small rivers reveal the mountain’s hydrological structure. As a mid-century document, “Dromedary Peak” stands at the intersection of science, outdoor recreation, and western land history, preserving a refined image of Utah’s high country before its modern fame fully arrived.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eCities, towns and places on this map\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAlta\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSnowbird\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLittle Cottonwood Canyon\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWasatch Range\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDromedary Peak\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUtah National Forest\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCottonwood Lakes\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBrighton\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBig Cottonwood Canyon\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTwin Lakes\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSilver Lake\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMill D South Fork\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGrizzly Gulch\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCardiff Fork\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLake Mary\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLake Martha\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDeer Valley Resort\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRed Pine Lake\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBig Cottonwood Ridge\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMurdock Peak\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePoint of the Mountain\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRoad classifications\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTrails\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eStreams and small rivers\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eHistorical context \u0026amp; cartographic details\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHistorical 1:24,000 topographical map of Alta, Snowbird, and the surrounding Utah mountain region.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDated 1955 with a 1957 imprint.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eProduced by the US Geological Survey (USGS), known for detailed topographic mapping and geological surveys of the United States.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe USGS has provided important scientific data related to natural resources, hazards, ecosystems, and public land use.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFeatures Alta and Snowbird, two well-known resort areas with histories tied to skiing and regional recreation.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUses a classic topographical design with contour lines to show elevation changes.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMuted color palette highlights the natural terrain.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eShows rugged mountainous terrain characteristic of the Wasatch Range, including peaks, valleys, lakes, streams, and small rivers.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eReflects a mid-20th-century period of increasing recreational development in the region.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLooking for a particular place?\u003c\/strong\u003e Review the detailed images to confirm that the town, landmark or feature you have in mind appears on the map. If you are unsure, \u003ca target=\"”_blank”\" href=\"\/pages\/contact-us\"\u003eask our workshop to check before you order\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eDetailed maps are especially rewarding at larger sizes, where names, boundaries and decorative features have more room to be appreciated. Use the close-up preview and size guide to choose the right scale for your wall.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis map looks amazing at sizes all the way up to 50in (125cm). If you are looking for a larger map, please \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/contact-us\"\u003eget in touch\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe model in the listing images is holding the 16x20in (40x50cm) version of this map.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhere personalisation is available, you can add a short title or dedication, mark one meaningful place, or request one considered visual detail. \u003ca target=\"”_blank”\" href=\"\/pages\/map-personalisation\"\u003eSee personalised map examples\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eEvery piece is printed to museum-grade archival standards using fade-resistant pigment inks on acid-free matte paper. Choose an unframed map print, framed map or canvas using the finish options above. Framed maps use crystal-clear optical acrylic and arrive ready to hang.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWith its rich detail and strong sense of place, this map makes a considered gift for a new home, anniversary, retirement or anyone with a personal connection to the area shown. Still deciding? Explore our collection of \u003ca target=\"”_blank”\" href=\"\/collections\/all-old-vintage-antique-maps\"\u003erare old and vintage maps\u003c\/a\u003e to discover another place, period or style.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"The Unique Maps Co.","offers":[{"title":"12x16in (30x40cm) \/ Map","offer_id":58848850215296,"sku":null,"price":362.0,"currency_code":"CNY","in_stock":true},{"title":"12x16in (30x40cm) \/ Framed map","offer_id":58848850248064,"sku":null,"price":975.0,"currency_code":"CNY","in_stock":true},{"title":"12x16in (30x40cm) \/ Framed canvas map","offer_id":58848850280832,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"CNY","in_stock":true},{"title":"A3 (297x420mm) \/ Map","offer_id":58848850313600,"sku":null,"price":362.0,"currency_code":"CNY","in_stock":true},{"title":"A3 (297x420mm) \/ Framed map","offer_id":58848850346368,"sku":null,"price":975.0,"currency_code":"CNY","in_stock":true},{"title":"A3 (297x420mm) \/ Framed canvas 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