1988 Map of McGee Peak

About this map

Lolo National Forest and St Joe National Forest meet at the jagged crest of the Bitterroot Range, where the high-altitude divide also defines the border between Montana and Idaho. This 1980s provisional study documents a complex network of alpine drainages, including the headwaters of Big Creek and Deer Creek. The terrain is punctuated by several high-elevation bodies of water such as Crystal Lake, Rudie Lake, and Clear Lake, which are linked by a singular Pack Trail that traverses the ridges. This network of trails and peaks, including Mc Gee Peak and Ward Peak, reflects a landscape managed for conservation and backcountry recreation rather than industrial development. The convergence of Mineral County and Shoshone County at this remote junction highlights the cartographic importance of these summits as administrative anchors in the American West.