1963 Map of Sawyer Ridge

About this map

Nez Perce National Forest dominates this mid-century topographic study, defined by the high-elevation terrain of Sawyer Ridge and the Nez Perce Ridge. The landscape is a complex network of glacial cirques and drainages, where multiple high-country lakes like Upper Gospel Lake and Lower Knob Lake sit beneath prominent summits such as Pyramid Peak and Dome Hill. This map captures the area as it was managed in the early 1960s, prior to modern wilderness designations, showing the essential infrastructure of forest management including the Sawyer Ridge Lookout and a remote outpost at Bentz Cow Camp. The drainage patterns are clearly defined by numerous watercourses such as Hungry Creek, West Fork Gospel Creek, and Moores Lake Creek, which carve through the steep ridges. A single Jeep Trail provides the primary access route across the southern portion of the sheet near Gospel Hill, reflecting the limited human footprint in this interior mountain environment.