l5■^ 



THE CONDOR 



Vol.. X 



TOPO(;rAPIIV Op MEvSA COUNTY 



Mesa County is situated on the extreme western edge of Colorado, adjoining 

 Utah, and about midway between the northern and southern l)oundaries of the 

 State. It has an area of about 3300 square miles, or as large as Delaware and 

 Rhode Island combined. 



The altitude of the County varies greatly. Probably the lowest point in the 

 County is the Grand River where it crosses the state line at 4358 feet above sea 

 level, while the highest points are Leon Peak, 10,954 feet on the southeastern 

 boundary and South Mamm Peak 10,897 feet on the northern boundary, thus estab- 

 lishing a vertical range of something over 6,500 feet. The greater portion of the 

 County is composed largely of broad, flat plateaus ranging in altitude from 5,000 to 

 7,000 feet, and high rolling mesas from 8,000 to 10,000 feet, altho at several 

 points barren and extremely rugged mountains are encountered. 





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Three large rivers drain the County: the Grand which flows southwesterly 

 thru the northern part of the Countv, the Gunnison which flows northwesterly 

 and joins the Grand at Grand Junction, near the center of the County, and the 

 Dolores which, flowing northwesterly toward the Grand River in Utah, cuts a 

 small triangle from the southwest corner of the County. These streams, while all 

 having their sources outside of the County, are considerably augmented by a few 

 principal tributaries, chief among which is Plateau Creek which drains the eastern 

 portion of the County and which is fed by 21 smaller streams. Thruout the western 

 part of the County where there is very little timber to conserve the snow-fall, many 

 of the tributaries are roaring torrents in the spring, but drj^ up entirely during 

 the summer. 



The western and southern portion of the County, which is by far the larger 



