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1951 Map of Mt Pend Oreille

Name: 1951 Topographic Map of Mt Pend Oreille
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1980
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1980

About this map

The Cabinet Mountains define the high country of this mid-century survey, straddling the Idaho-Montana state line and the border between Kaniksu National Forest and Kootenai National Forest. The landscape is dominated by steep summits including Mt Pend Oreille, Mt Willard, and Trestle Pk. This era of forest management is reflected in the network of fire lookouts such as the Smith Patrol Lookout and Benning Lookout, alongside isolated outposts like Smith Cabin and Beaver Cabin.

Resource extraction and backcountry access are evident at the Auxor Mine within the Auxor Basin. The map tracks the drainage of numerous creeks, notably Lightning Creek and Rattle Creek, which feed high-altitude basins containing Lake Estelle, Gem Lake, and Moose Lake. These features illustrate a period when national forest administration relied heavily on a system of remote lookouts and pack trails before more modern road networks reached deep into the interior peaks.