Loading map...

1968 Map of Stemple Pass

Name: 1968 Topographic Map of Stemple Pass
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1971
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1971

About this map

The Continental Divide dictates the rugged character of this Lewis and Clark County landscape, where the headwaters of the Blackfoot River meet high mountain crossings. High-altitude passages such as Flesher Pass and Stemple Pass serve as the primary conduits through the Helena National Forest, connecting the remote mining settlements of Gould and Prospect. These small outposts, located in the southern portion of the sheet, reflect a late-1960s snapshot of Montana's mountain economy, where small-scale mining and resource extraction shaped the local infrastructure.

Water management is prominent throughout the terrain, from the industrial Bear Ditch to numerous named drainages like Virginia Creek and Rooster Bill Creek. The map documents a network of primitive access, including the Flesher Pass Trail and Stemple Pass Road, tracing routes that were essential for prospectors and forest rangers alike. The presence of several prospects and a Gravel Pit indicates ongoing interest in the mineral wealth of the gulches long after the initial gold rushes.