The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1913-06-12
Geology and Minerlization of the
Upper St. Joe River Basin, Idaho !.
BY ). 7. eARDEg. Y. s. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.

interest in is mineral possibilities ha.
revived.
Vegetation and Burns.
Except the highest SUBMITS ant
submits, all Of this area is or recent,
was clothed with dense forest ant
denser underbrush. Bunch grass ant
other forage plants are abundant only
In the non-forested area excepted. A
small amount Of forage Is to be had In
some OF the old burns, chiefly on the
steep south slopes. large percent
age Of this area is SCARED with burns
| In various stages of reforestation The
fires Of 1910 made clean sweep of ali
that portion OF the area north of st.
Joe river and west of Bird creek Also
practically the whole basin of the st.
Joe above Simmons creek was cleaned
out and Of the remainder of this area
about one-fourth was burned over.
Accessibility.
This region as a whole Is one of the
least accessible to be found within
the United States, owing mainly to the
topography and the forest cover. Elk
cept In those areas recently burned
the brush and litter render progress
even by man on foot very slow and
laborious Certain recently burned
slopes were swept so clean, however.
that they may for the present be read
lily traversed, but In most of the burn
ed areas the fire was accompanied or
followed by extensive windfals.
Canoes are poled against the swift
water of the st. Joe as far us as God
dards, which is about rs miles up the
main river from Avery, and In short
stretches above 1t was also observed
that attempts had been made to trans
port freight up and down stream In
barges by snubbing Apparently these
attempts had not been very success
full owing to the rapid current and OBJ
structions in the channel.
Railroads, roads and the principal !
rails are shown on the accompanying
nap. The road from Saltese to the
Monitor mine is In good condition and
s used for the hauling of ore ma
,hinery. A road built preliminary to
he construction Of the Chicago, Mil
vaukee 4 Puget Sound Railway is I
IT'LL available for wagons from the
1t. Regis Valley to the North Fork
II the st. Joe The county road from
Wallace to Hoyt, on st. Joe River,
leds many repairs to make ii passable
or wagons. or the few trails that
penetrate this region those within the
ecently burned areas are either
emporarily blocked by windfalls or
destroyed by slides. Some of the
main trails are fairly good considering
he rugged country they traverse, but
ii have many steep and rocky pitches,
The De Borgia trail is fairly good
ne and Is the most convenient means
f access to the st. Joe at Conrads
nd above Excep two steep spurs
yer which 1t zigzags. the trail from ;
very to Goddards is not hard for
or pack animals, but it's continuation
asst from Goddards Is in poor con- !
ition. The principal trail leading
outh from Avery goes up Fish Hook {
rex and along the west rim of the
rainage basinto Sliderock Mountain.
rom this point branches lead west I
ard by which one may reach st. g
De and the mouth of Marbel Creek.
l 1910 the Marble Creek trail was in q
lirly good condition. The ST. Joe q
all little of which was traversed,
with numerous trails to e
cabins in TIPS. 43 and s
~. r. e. The trail leading south {
ON Sliderock Mountain has branches v
aiding eastward into Montana and c
he leading southwestward to Clarkia, n
aho. From Avery to the southern I
'undry Of 7. A N, r. e.. the fl
nil is clear and in fair condition. d