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1979 Map of Soapstone Hill

Name: 1979 Topographic Map of Soapstone Hill
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1980
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1980

About this map

The North Fork Feather River and the Western Pacific RR corridor define the northwest corner of this rugged Sierra Nevada landscape within the Plumas National Forest. The map documents a territory defined by resource extraction and high-country grazing, featuring established mining operations such as the Soapstone Mine, Silver Star Mine, and the Lucky Laddie Mine. The transition of local settlements is evident at Buckeye and Merrimac, which are marked as former sites rather than active towns by the late 1970s.

Transportation through the steep terrain relies on a network of historical paths and modern routes, including the Palmetto Trail and the Quincy Highway. Geological landmarks like Elephant Butte, Grizzly Dome, and the Grizzly Dome Tunnel highlight the engineering challenges of the river canyon. Away from the water, the map tracks upland features like Bear Ranch and Rogers Cow Camp, illustrating the area's history of seasonal ranching.