1969 Map of Blue Dome

About this map

Birch Creek Valley dominates this high-altitude landscape where the borders of Clark, Lemhi, and Butte counties converge. The 1969 field survey records a region defined by its rugged drainages and sparse high-country outposts, including the Kaufman Guard Station and the namesake Blue Dome. Running southeast through the center of the sheet, Birch Creek serves as the primary corridor for movement, flanked by the steep slopes of the Targhee National Forest to the east. Local history and genealogy interest is anchored by the John Day Grave located near the southern reach of the valley, while the presence of a Mine and Gravel Pit near Worthing Gulch points to the small-scale extractive efforts of the era. The terrain is deeply incised by numerous canyons, most notably Skull Canyon, Bruce Canyon, and Sawmill Canyon, which historically provided routes into the surrounding peaks like Bald Mtn.