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1951 Map of Desolation Butte

Name: 1951 Topographic Map of Desolation Butte
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1963
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1963

About this map

Desolation Butte serves as a prominent landmark in this mid-century survey of the Blue Mountains, situated at the juncture of the Umatilla National Forest and Whitman National Forest. The landscape is defined by an extensive network of fire lookouts and ranger outposts, including the Desolation Guard Station and the Indian Rock Lookout. The presence of several extractive sites, such as the Skinner Mine and Gutridge Mine, indicates a history of prospecting and mining activity concentrated near the high peaks and creek drainages.

Resource management and high-country recreation are evident through the numerous established sites like Log Table Camp, Forks Guard Station, and Olive Lake Camp. The map details the complex drainage systems of Desolation Creek and Meadow Creek, alongside many family-named features like Jumpoff Joe Peak, which provide valuable geographic markers for those tracing regional history or land use during the early 1950s.