HISTORY OF THE CHALLIS NATIONAL FOREST A Compilation USDA Forest Service Intermountain Region Introduction This is a transcription of the Challis National Forest history cataloged in the R4 History Collection as R4-1680-2006-0238. It is apparent that various people added to the original compilation over a period of several years. Forest Service retiree LeAnn Tracy retyped the document so it could be available to and searchable by a wider audience. We have taken the liberty of correcting spelling and typographical errors, reformatting to improve readability (including the addition of headers), relocating some additions to their relevant sections, and generating a table of contents. The original compilation referred to appendices in a “separate folder” but we do not have these. They are: 1. Proclamations 2. Newspaper clippings 3. Progress reports 4. Challis fact sheets 5. Bibliography of historical books 6. Miscellaneous publications, periodicals, etc. 7. Old History File Folder 8. Charlie Langer Memorial 9. Photographs (see photo file for additional pictures) 10. Sawtooth Mountains Study Area Richa Wilson, Regional Architectural Historian October 2009 Cover: Supervisor’s Office & Ranger Station compound in Challis, Idaho. TABLE OF CONTENTS PRE-FOREST HISTORY ............................................................................................................... 4 Yankee Fork Ranger District .................................................................................................... 13 Bayhorse Crossing ................................................................................................................ 14 Bayhorse Lake Brickyard ..................................................................................................... 14 Ramshorn Mine ..................................................................................................................... 14 Early Day Fire ....................................................................................................................... 14 Sammy Holman .................................................................................................................... 14 Mt. McCaleb and a Bannock Attack ......................................................................................... 16 Place Names .............................................................................................................................. 17 Names of Peaks ......................................................................................................................... 18 Towns ........................................................................................................................................ 19 Lost Mines on the Challis Forest .............................................................................................. 23 Early Fur Trade ......................................................................................................................... 23 Early Indian Tribes ................................................................................................................... 24 Graves ....................................................................................................................................... 24 ADMINISTRATIVE HISTORY OF THE FOREST ................................................................... 24 General History ......................................................................................................................... 24 Forest Creation, Additions & Eliminations .............................................................................. 26 Seafoam Ranger District History .............................................................................................. 29 Reorganization July 1, 1972 ..................................................................................................... 31 WATERSHED MANAGEMENT CHRONOLOGY, 1956-1974 ................................................ 32 RANGE MANAGEMENT ........................................................................................................... 37 Alder Creek C&H Association ................................................................................................. 37 The Challis Woolgrowers Association ..................................................................................... 38 Tri-County Cattle Association .................................................................................................. 40 Grouse Creek C&H ................................................................................................................... 42 Cottonwood S&G...................................................................................................................... 42 Fly Creek S&H ......................................................................................................................... 42 South Fork S&G ....................................................................................................................... 43 White Valley Creek S&G ......................................................................................................... 43 Castle Fork S&G ....................................................................................................................... 43 Woodtick C&H ......................................................................................................................... 43 E. Mayfield C&H ...................................................................................................................... 43 White Goat Creek C&H ............................................................................................................ 44 Cold Spring C&H ..................................................................................................................... 44 Cache Creek C&H .................................................................................................................... 44 Chronology of Accomplishments, 1948-1977 .......................................................................... 44 TIMBER MANAGEMENT CHRONOLOGY, 1949-1974 ......................................................... 57 MINERALS MANAGEMENT CHRONOLOGY, 1968-1974 .................................................... 62 WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT CHRONOLOGY, 1954-1974 ..................................................... 63 RECREATION MANAGEMENT CHRONOLOGY, 1957-1979 ............................................... 73 ADMINISTRATIVE SITES ......................................................................................................... 79 Garden Creek Administrative Site ........................................................................................ 79 Clayton Administrative Site .................................................................................................. 79 1 Loon Creek Ranger Station Administrative Site .................................................................. 79 Seafoam Administrative Site ................................................................................................ 79 Valley Creek Administrative Site ......................................................................................... 80 Wildhorse Administrative Site .............................................................................................. 80 Mountain View Administrative Site ..................................................................................... 80 Pahsimeroi District................................................................................................................ 80 Mackay Supervisor’s Office ................................................................................................. 80 Antelope Guard Station......................................................................................................... 81 Arco Pass Administrative Site .............................................................................................. 81 Bell Mountain Administrative Site ....................................................................................... 81 Bonanza Administrative Site ................................................................................................ 81 Challis Administrative Site ................................................................................................... 81 Morgan Creek Administrative Site ....................................................................................... 81 Stanley Administrative Site .................................................................................................. 81 Camas Creek Administrative Site ......................................................................................... 81 Cape Horn Administrative Site ............................................................................................. 81 Challis Powder House Administrative Site........................................................................... 82 Copper Basin Administrative Site ........................................................................................ 82 Crane Basin Administrative Site ........................................................................................... 82 Fairview Administrative Site ................................................................................................ 82 Kadee Administrative Site ...................................................................................................