1979 Map of Buffalo Hump

About this map

Buffalo Hump and its surrounding peaks anchor this high-elevation mining district within the Nez Perce National Forest. The map documents a landscape defined by its turn-of-the-century gold rush legacy, preserved as the Gospel-Hump Wilderness. A dense network of mining claims and abandoned infrastructure is evident, ranging from the Big Buffalo Mine and Vesuvius Mine in the north to the Del Rio Mine and Jumbo Mine further south. The settlement pattern here reflects the transient nature of mountain industry, with several former communities marked as ruins, including Humptown, Frogtown, and Jumbo Camp. While the high country is dotted with alpine water bodies like Mirror Lake and Hump Lake, the presence of a Landing Strip near Concord Hill indicates the modern logistical challenges of accessing this remote interior of Idaho County.