1964 Map of Washington Peak

About this map

The high alpine intersection of Challis National Forest and Sawtooth National Forest is defined here by the towering White Cloud Peaks and the 10,519-foot summit of Washington Peak. This mid-century survey illustrates a landscape primarily shaped by glacial activity and early resource extraction. The presence of the Aztec Mine near Fisher Creek and the Black Rock Mine in Washington Basin speaks to the prospecting history within these high basins. The hydrology is equally prominent, with numerous alpine waters including Fourth of July Lake, Phyllis Lake, and the cascading Star Lakes feeding into drainage systems like Fourth of July Creek. A single Jeep Trail provides the only mechanized access into the southeastern portion of the quadrangle, highlighting the primitive state of the backcountry during this period of the 1960s.