1994 Map of Caribou

About this map

North Fork Feather River carves a deep path through this portion of the northern Sierra Nevada, where industrial energy infrastructure meets gold-rush-era heritage. The landscape is defined by the transition from the high-elevation Butt Valley Res down to the river canyon, facilitated by the Intake Towers and Butt Valley Powerhouse. This drop in elevation supported a series of hydroelectric developments that fundamentally altered the drainage patterns of Butt Creek and its tributaries. Along the river banks, names like Rich Bar, Missouri Bar, and Indian Bar serve as markers of the area’s historic placer mining activity, while a small Cem near Rich Bar offers a poignant genealogical link to the pioneers of this river-and-rail corridor. The southern extent is protected within the Bucks Lake Wilderness, contrasting the heavily engineered utility sites of Caribou and the Belden Forebay with the pristine reaches of Serpentine Canyon.