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1963 Map of Vermiculite Mountain

Name: 1963 Topographic Map of Vermiculite Mountain
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1975
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1975

About this map

Industrial activity and rugged logistics define this 1963 survey of the Kootenai National Forest in northwest Montana. The landscape is dominated by the extraction efforts surrounding Vermiculite Mountain, where a complex infrastructure of a Tramway, Aqueduct, and several Strip Mine sites connects the mineral resources to the transport corridors below. The heavy footprint of mining, including substantial Tailings and Mine Dump locations, is contrasted by the natural course of the Kootenai River and the winding path of the Great Northern railroad.

Evidence of early mountain management and settlement appears at the Lookout Tower on Blue Mountain and the small outpost at Bakker Ranch. Along the river, the station at Ripley marks a point of historical interest for those tracing the development of the region's rail and resource economy. The map also captures numerous drainages such as Rainy Creek and Rice Creek, which shaped the early access routes into these high-elevation mining claims.