1966 Map of Gardiner Peak

About this map

The Selway River cuts a deep, winding path through the heart of the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness during the mid-1960s. This backcountry landscape is defined by its transition between the Nezperce National Forest and the Bitterroot National Forest, where the terrain rises sharply from the riverbank to high points like Gardiner Peak and Elevator Mtn. Human presence in this isolated interior is marked by specialized outposts and remote habitations, including the Shearer Guard Station and the Gardiner Peak Lookout Tower. Life and travel here are tied to the river and the air; multiple Landing Strip locations provide essential access for North Star Ranch and Running Creek Ranch, while a network of Pack Trail routes serves as the primary means of overland movement through the steep drainages of Goat Creek and Gardiner Creek.