These high-altitude color-infrared photographs were taken for the US Government's National High Altitude Photography (NHAP) Program. The coding on them specifies the date and other information of interest to professional geologists, cartographers, foresters, etc. More information on the NHAP Program can be acquired from various federal agencies.
These reproductions can be used with stereoscopes to see the terrain in 3-D, which can be immensely useful, especially in an area such as the Rockie's Collegiate Range, with such great variation in elevation. Larger-scale reproductions, geological maps, geocorrected products, etc., can be acquired from the author, above, or from various dealers carrying the author's products.
Since the tops of the mountains are several thousand feet closer to the aircraft's camera than the bases of the mountains, there is considerable variation in scale. In addition, photogrammetric distortions resulting from the differing perspectives from different camera locations will make it impossible to make a seamless mosaic from the originals. Notwithstanding, digital terrain modeling and GIS software can be used with digitized versions of these photos to derive far more accurate photo maps.
In their present form, these photos can be used very effectively to see features not indicated on USGS, USFS, USBLM or other government maps. In particular, roads, hiking trails, old mines, plant variations (tree types, tree line, etc.), streams, lakes, and other features of interest can often be seen. To be of greatest use, the author recommends using these photos with the equivalent USGS 7½' topographic maps, as follows: 595-186 & 595-187 = Saint Elmo, CO and 571-253 & 571-254 = Mount Antero, CO.