1953 Map of Elk Rock

About this map

Green Mountain and the Green Mountain Range dominate this 1950s landscape, a region defined by industrial logging and the drainage basins of the Cowlitz and Toutle Rivers. Logging operations are evident through the network of Railroad spurs and established base camps such as Camp 9, Camp 10, and Camp Baker. The northern reaches include the Swofford Valley and the settlement of Nesika along the Cowlitz River, while the southern portion is bisected by the Spirit Lake Highway following the North Fork Toutle River. Notable landmarks such as the Elk Rock Lookout and the Shingle Mill on Winston Creek illustrate the era's focus on resource extraction and fire surveillance. This survey documents the topography of the Mount St. Helens vicinity decades before the 1980 eruption dramatically altered these river valleys.