Salmon National Forest Cultural Resource Inventory

Western Cultural contracted with the Salmon-Challis National Forest to conduct a cultural resource survey of approximately 3,200 acres. The project consisted of four areas slated for prescribed burns and one hard rock mining area slated for cleanup and restoration. The cultural resource inventories fulfilled the Forest Service requirements for, among others, NEPA compliance. The majority of the resources located, recorded, and evaluated for the project were associated with historic mining. Mining related cultural resources included placer and hydraulic mine sites and hard rock mine sites. Features included ditches, dams, flumes, adits, settling ponds, a variety of tailings piles, test pits, cabins, storage sheds, head frames, and ore car tracks. The investigation inventoried, researched, and evaluated a 1 mile-long major historic mining placer complex dating from the 1880s near Stanley, Idaho, and a 14-feature, mining- and ranching-related building complex near Meyer’s Cove, Idaho. The survey also described and researched the Blue Moon Mine, a 34-feature silver mine near Gilmore, Idaho. The project also located a number of prehistoric resources including trails, isolated finds, and lithic scatters, the great majority of which were located at higher elevations. All contract deadlines and project deliverables were met on time and within the budget for this project.