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1996 Map of Mount Thompson

Name: 1996 Topographic Map of Mount Thompson
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1998
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1998

About this map

Mining operations dominate this high-altitude landscape where the Deerlodge National Forest and Helena National Forest meet. The map reveals a dense network of gulches and mineral claims, centered around the settlement of Comet and its associated Tailings. Significant extraction sites are scattered across the terrain, including the Eva May Mine in the northwest and the Free Enterprise Mine near the southern boundary. These labels reflect over a century of hard-rock mining activity in the region, punctuated by names like Boulder Chief Mine and the Washington Mine.

The topography is defined by prominent peaks such as Mount Thompson and Sugarloaf Mountain, separated by deep drainage systems like Boomerang Gulch and the Boulder River. Landforms such as Bluebird Flats and the Occidental Plateau provide distinctive landmarks among the steep contours. This late-twentieth-century record by the Forest Service and USGS detail the infrastructure of the era, from the Communications Tower to the various Springs and trails that serve this industrial and natural wilderness.