Gunnison Lands Protection Areas – DRAFT
June 12, 2013
North Fork Backcountry Habitat Conservation Area
Clear Fork/Drift Creek (46,124 acres), Pilot Knob (21,012 acres)
Description: This area lies in northwest Gunnison County and overlaps with the
larger Thompson Divide Roadless complex. The area spans from approximately 2
miles north of Somerset to north of Highway 133 in the McClure Pass area all the
way up to the northern boundary of Gunnison County. Elevations range from 6,700
to 13,00 feet.
Special Qualities: These areas have some of the most vital and diverse wildlife
habitat in Gunnison County due to its lower elevation, it’s connection to other
roadless and Wilderness areas and its vast riparian habitat. The area provides yearround habitat for moose and elk and summer habitat for mule deer, mountain lion,
black bear, turkey and lynx. The area also provides critical winter range and calving
areas for elk. This area contains headwaters and several creeks are designated
native cutthroat trout waters with conservation populations of Colorado River
cutthroat trout. Many rare bird species nest in this area as well. While there is some
development in the areas, old road scars from coal exploration and methane
drainage gas wells and some gas development, the area provides a valuable
backcountry hunting experience on public lands prior to elk moving into private
lands at lower elevation. Even though there are existing oil and gas leases and
development in parts of the area, the area still offers outstanding mid-elevation
wildlife habitat, and thus valuable hunting and angling opportunities.
Management Recommendation: A Special Management Area (SMA) is
recommended to allow for existing uses yet still protect the area for its high quality
wildlife habitat. Clear Fork and Drift Creek areas are already included in Senator
Bennet’s recently introduced “Thompson Divide Withdrawal and Protection Act” for
mineral withdrawal on unleased public minerals in the area. The bill also creates an
opportunity for existing leases to be retired should they be donated or sold by
willing owners. For all unleased lands in Clear Fork, Drift Creek and Pilot Knob, we
would recommend a mineral withdrawal (there is still future potential for gas and
coal exploration in areas that are currently unleased). Where leases are held by
production and where SG Interests and Gunnison Energy are not willing to sell back,
we would recommend No Surface Occupancy stipulations (NSOs). In conjunction
with Thompson Divide legislation, a Backcountry Habitat Conservation SMA that
would preserve habitat through NSO and manage the area for its outstanding
backcountry hunting and angling opportunities is recommended. This would
include mineral withdrawal on unleased lands, no logging and no new roads or
motorized/mechanized trails so as not to further fragment the area or push elk onto
private lands surrounding these areas. Winter motorized use does exist within
portions of the areas, and would still be allowed pending USFS winter management
plan for the GMUG, which should begin within a couple of years.
Raggeds to Maroon Bells Wildlife Corridor Protection Area
McClure Pass (1,736 acres), Gallo Hill (1,694 acres), Treasure Mountain (4,827
acres), Crystal River (836 acres of the 6,175-acre Roadless area lie in
Gunnison County), Deer Creek (3,116 acres added to Maroon Bells Wilderness,
4,268 acre SMA),
Description: Elevations range from 6,500 to 13,500 feet. McClure Pass, Gallo Hill
and Crystal River are located on either side of Highway 133 in the McClure Pass area
just north and west of Marble. Treasure Mountain would be an addition to the
Raggeds Wilderness and lies southeast of Marble. Deer Creek north of the trail
would be an addition to the Maroon Bells/Snowmass area and lies approximately
two miles northeast of Crested Butte. The area south of the trail would be an SMA.
Special Qualities: These five roadless areas provide wildlife corridor connections
between the existing Maroon Bells/Snowmass and Raggeds Wilderness areas and
on over to the Thompson Divide and Battlement Mesa Roadless Area. The Forest
Service has recognized these areas, especially in the lower elevations, for their high
variety and abundance of wildlife. These areas include bighorn sheep critical winter
range and production areas and elk winter range and production areas. The higher
elevation areas, like Treasure Mountain, include high-value habitat for mountain
goats and ptarmigans along with elk and white-tailed deer summer range. Deer
Creek contains lynx habitat, elk production areas and black bear fall concentration.
In fact, the entire Deer Creek Roadless Area is the largest elk production area in
GMU 55, and Colorado Parks and Wildlife recommend no new roads or trails, with
seasonal closures of existing trails May 1 through June 15. Treasure Mountain is a
Recommended Wilderness in the 2007 draft Forest Plan.
Management Recommendations: There are no non-wilderness uses in McClure
Pass, Gallo Hill, Crystal River or Treasure Mountain areas. Thus, Wilderness
designation is recommended. For Deer Creek, a Wilderness addition is
recommended to the Deer Creek trail (a popular hiking and biking trail), with a
buffer to allow for realignment in the future. An SMA is recommended for the
southern portion of Deer Creek on the other side of the trail. SMA management
recommendations include mineral withdrawal, no logging, and no new motorized
use (there is currently no snowmobiling allowed and the Deer Creek trail is
mechanized only).
Kebler Pass Scenic Recreation Area
Munsey Creek/Erickson Springs (10,667 acres), Beckwiths (26,409 acres),
Horse Ranch Park (2,470 acres)
Description: These areas lie on the north and south sides of Kebler Pass road
between Crested Butte and Highway 133 near Paonia. They range in elevation from
6,300 to 13,000 feet.
Special Qualities: This area offers one-of-a-kind viewsheds from Kebler Pass,
valuable wildlife habitat, riparian areas, high-quality backcountry recreation and
contains part the largest aspen forest in the world. The area provides wildlife
linkages between the Raggeds and West Elks and offers high quality habitat for
turkey, black bear, moose, elk, lynx and mule deer. In addition, Schafer Creek and
Snowshoe Creek (in the Beckwiths area) contain Colorado River cutthroat trout, as
does Anthracite Creek. Popular bike trails exist in the area (the Dyke Trail and the
Raggeds Trail) and there are popular snowmobile play areas off the pass in the
Beckwiths parcel. Munsey Creek/Erickson Springs is a Recommended Wilderness in
the 2007 draft Forest Plan. By preserving this area with Wilderness cores and
surrounding SMAs, we would ensure that the unique, highly scenic character of
Kebler Pass be preserved along with the high-quality backcountry recreation it
offers while still protecting wildlife habitat and preventing future industrial
development.
Management Recommendations: Wilderness designation is recommended for
Munsey Creek/Erickson Springs to the Raggeds Trail (with a buffer for future trail
realignment) and a Special Management Area for the remaining Forest Service land
up to private property boundaries. Because there is oil and gas potential in this
entire area, it is recommended that the SMA include a mineral withdrawal, no new
roads, no logging and no new motorized use (outside of the Raggeds Trail) but allow
for construction of the Carbondale to Crested Butte Trail and Wagon Trail along
Kebler.
The Beckwiths would be a similar management recommendation because it also
contains potential gas and coal development. It is recommended that the Beckwiths
be an SMA that would allow for existing uses (snowmobiling, mechanized travel on
the Cliff Creek trail) but include a mineral withdrawal, no logging and no new roads.
There is potential for a Wilderness addition to the West Elks in the Beckwiths area,
however we need more information from the snowmobilers on where they ride. We
also want to make sure that a potential Crested Butte to Paonia trail could be
constructed through the area, thus the Wilderness would need to be in places where
a bike trail would not likely go through.
Horse Ranch Park is recommended for Wilderness designation as an addition to the
Raggeds Wilderness. A buffer from the Dyke Trail is recommended for future
realignment.
Whetstone Watershed Protection Area
19,888 acres
Description: The Whetstone Roadless area is approximately two miles south and
west of the Town of Crested Butte. The Whetstone Watershed Protection Area is
composed for the most part of 3 peaks (Whetstone Mountain, Carbon Peak and Mt.
Axtell) and is located south of Kebler Pass Road. It would also include Lily Lakes
area on the other side of Ohio Pass Road.
Special Qualities: Rugged terrain, dense vegetation, distance from development
and a lack of trails within the area are all reasons cited by the Forest Service to
recommend Whetstone for Wilderness designation in the 2007 draft Forest Plan.
This area contains the headwaters of Ohio and Carbon Creeks. Whetstone also
contains elk production and important summer concentration areas for elk and
mule deer. There is a major migration corridor allowing for migration to winter
areas to the south and west. Lynx have been recorded in the area with both denning
and winter lynx habitat and is considered a pioneer population. Carbon Creek
contains native Colorado River cutthroat trout.
Management Recommendations: Due to the many different uses in the area
(unpatented mining claims, winter and summer motorized, existing and potential
future mechanized), the middle-ground option to best protect the area while still
allowing for existing uses is to do an SMA with Wilderness cores. While boundary
details still need a bit of work pending the alignment of the possible Gunnison to
Crested Butte bike trail, Whetstone Mountain itself is recommended for Wilderness
designation, Carbon mountain and everything south and east of the potential trail
alignment and the existing Carbon trail is recommended for Wilderness (leaving
room for a Carbon Trail reroute). The remaining area (Mt Axtell along with Lily
Lakes) is recommended as an SMA with mineral withdrawal, no logging, but still
allowing for existing motorized and mechanized use on Carbon, Green Lake,
Wildcat, Para Me Para Te and Baxter Gulch trails. The SMA would also allow for
mechanized trail development (for the Splains Connector or Carbon reroute), and
existing winter motorized use including grooming by the Crested Butte Nordic
Center in the Lily Lake area and snowmobiling. The Nordic Center will probably be
interested in a seasonal closure of Lily Lake to snowmobiles during the time they
groom the area in the early winter season, but can figure out details as we move
along in the process.
Cement Creek Recreation Area
Star Peak (8,568 acres), Double Top (24,207 acres), Granite Basin West
(9,340), East Cement Mountain (8,144)
Description: This area is approximately 5 miles east of Crested Butte in the Cement
Creek and Brush Creek drainages. Elevations range from 8,500 to 12,800 feet.
Special Qualities: This area includes vital habitat for lynx, black bear, bald eagle
and moose. Mountain lion summer habitat and historic and potential Gunnison
Sage-grouse habitat also exist in the area. Higher elevations contain white-tailed
ptarmigan and mountain goat habitats. Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW)
considers Double Top a significant elk habitat area due to summer and winter
concentrations and calving areas. Cement Creek offers high recreational value due
to developed motorized/mechanized trail networks and high-quality hunting areas.
Granite Basin West and East Cement Mountain are Recommended Wilderness in the
2007 draft Forest Plan.
Management Recommendations: The area is recommended to be an SMA with
Wilderness portions on the north and south ends. Star Peak is recommended for
Wilderness designation. There will have to be a cherry-stem for the Friends Hut,
which exists in the area, however the Friends Hut board is supportive of a
Wilderness designation because currently they are interested in disallowing
motorized use in the area. While some snowmobiling does occur in the area, it is a
small amount. Other issues to be aware of is the fact that the Grand Traverse
backcountry ski race goes through Star Peak area, so language will have to be added
for that exception.
Double Top has a large, popular trail network used by motorized, mechanized, horse
and foot travel. We recommend an SMA with a mineral withdrawal, no logging and
no new road building, thus existing legal uses could remain while maintaining
roadless and backcountry characteristics. We would also recommend no wintermotorized use, as CPW have recognized important winter elk concentrations and
have recommended that the Forest Service disallow any winter-motorized use so as
to protect the elk and their habitat. Furthermore, the Friends Hut board is
supportive of the whole drainage up to the Friends Hut becoming non-motorized in
the winter, so the northern part of Double Top (in the Teocalli Ridge and Hunter Hill
areas) are recommended for no winter motorized uses for that reason as well. There
has been some recent summertime user conflict in the area and there is a local
group working to resolve the conflicts with some trail reroutes and additions, thus
the SMA could allow for those.
Granite Basin West is also recommended for an SMA designation although it is a
Recommended Wilderness by the Forest Service. There is one mechanized trail in
the area, and the boundary of the SMA would be a fairly well-used motorized trail
Thus, it is suggested that SMA regulations include mineral withdrawal, no winter or
summer motorized (currently there is no existing motorized use), but allow for
mechanized use and the ability to reroute the trail when necessary.
East Cement Mountain is recommended for Wilderness designation because it is a
Recommended Wilderness by the Forest Service and there are currently no nonwilderness uses.
Poverty Gulch Special Management Area
Poverty Gulch (6,981 acres)
Description: This unit is approximately 7 miles northwest of Crested Butte and is
adjacent to the Raggeds Wilderness. This area has two segments divided by Poverty
Gulch Road and Baxter Basin Road. The elevation ranges between 9,000 to 13,300
feet.
Special Qualities: This area contains mountain goat summer range and summer
range for most other big game animals including summer elk concentration. Lynx
habitat has been mapped in the forested areas of this CRA and white-tailed
ptarmigan habitat is found in the alpine areas. The area also contains Canada goose
nesting sights and moose summer range.
This addition would bring the boundary of the Raggeds Wilderness down steep
slopes to offer a more manageable boundary for the east side of the Wilderness. This
area also provides an important corridor for wildlife between the Raggeds
Wilderness and the Upper East River valley floor. The area is a Recommended
Wilderness Area in the 2007 draft Forest Plan.
Management Recommendation: Wilderness designation is recommended for the
southern section of this area (after talking with grazers and adjusting the boundary
to the proposed lower loop trail extension, potentially 500 feet from the river). The
southern portion of this area slightly overlaps with mine leases for the Mt Emmons
mine project. A Special Management Area is recommended for the northern section
to allow for existing winter-motorized use.
Fossil Ridge Additions
Lottis Creek (1,700 acres), Matchless (23,628 acres)
Description: Matchless is located approximately 7 miles northeast from Almont and
15 miles northeast of Gunnison. It lies between Taylor Canyon and Spring Creek,
with elevations ranging from 8,700 to 12,400 feet. It would be separated from the
Fossil Ridge Wilderness area only by Taylor River Road. Lottis Creek is on the
northeast corner of the Fossil Ridge Wilderness area.
Special Qualities: This area contains vital wildlife habitat for many species
including fall concentration for black bear and mid-elevation forest habitat for lynx,
goshawk and pine martin. White-tail ptarmigan habitat and bald eagle winter range
and concentration also occur in this area. The unit includes two elk calving areas
with both summer concentration habitat and winter range and is a major complex of
migration for both elk and mule deer. For bighorn sheep the area offers summer and
winter range and two of the three lambing areas for the Taylor Canyon herd. Lamb
recruitment into this population is historically low and protection of production
areas may be critical to the survival of the herd. The area also contains Gunnison
Sage-grouse historic habitat, Gunnison prairie dog, Canada goose nesting sights and
moose summer habitat. Lottis Creek is a Recommended Wilderness area in the 2007
draft Forest Plan to create easier management of existing Wilderness.
Management Recommendations: While there is a lot of motorized/mechanized
recreation around the area, there is not much within. Thus, Wilderness designation
is recommended for both to preserve the areas’ wildlife habitat and backcountry
hunting opportunities. The popular bike (and partly motorized) Doctor’s Park trail
would be the western boundary of the Matchless area, thus a Wilderness
designation would also preserve the backcountry trail recreation experience.
West Elk Wildlife Habitat Protection Areas
Castle (11,168 acres), Beaver (3,651 acres), Steuben (3,643 acres), East Elk
Creek (9,590 acres), Dillon Pinnacles (10,074), Soap Creek (5,418 acres),
Curecanti (16,044 acres), Mendicant (22,417 acres), Mt Lamborn (9,069 acres)
Description: These areas would all be additions to the West Elk Wilderness, mainly
as extensions of the southern boundary. Mount Lamborn, Mendicant and Curecanti
are all managed by the Paonia Forest Service District, while the rest of the areas are
managed by the Gunnison District (except for Dillon Pinnacles which includes BLM
and National Park Service lands as well). Elevations range from 7,760 feet to 12,200
feet.
Special Qualities: These areas all have valuable mid-elevation habitat including
winter critical range and production areas for elk and mule deer and an Area of
Critical Concern for bighorn sheep in the Dillon Pinnacles area. Most of the areas
contain native Colorado River Cutthroat Trout streams and Beaver Creek hosts a
Conservation Population of Colorado River cutthroat trout and is a reintroduction
site for this species. The areas also contain historic, winter, overall, production and
potential habitats for the Gunnison Sage-grouse. Other species that find winter and
summer havens in these areas include black bear, mountain lion, lynx, moose, bald
eagle, and Gunnison prairie dog. With such a concentrated area of vital wildlife
habitats, the West Elk Wildlife Habitat protection area offers some of the best
hunting and fishing opportunities in the state. Beaver, Mount Lamborn, Curecanti
and Soap Creek are all Recommended Wilderness areas in the 2007 draft Forest
Plan and most of the other areas are recommended for “Upper Tier” Roadless
protections.
Management Recommendations: Due to high-value, mid-elevation wildlife
habitat, all areas are recommended for Wilderness designation as additions to the
West Elk Wilderness. For the Castle area, Wilderness designation is recommended
to the Lowline trail (with a buffer to allow for future trail realignment) and an SMA
is recommended on the east side of the trail to the private property. SMA
management recommendations for the east side of Castle include mineral
withdrawal, no logging, no new roads and no new motorized use. The existing roads
in that area are for private residents, and are not open to public use.
East Gunnison Divide SMA
(18,327 acres)
Description: This area is located approximately nine miles northeast of Pitkin in
Gunnison County. It consists of high mountain peaks along the Continental Divide,
separated from the Collegiate Peak Wilderness by the Cottonwood Pass Road. The
CRA shares a boundary with the 50,218-acre Kreutzer-Princeton IRA on the PikeSan Isabel National Forest. Elevations range from 9,800 to 13,500 feet.
Special Qualities: This area contains suitable lynx habitat and a lynx linkage area.
Mountain goat summer range occurs within this area with summer concentration
and production areas in the adjacent Pike-San Isabel National Forest. This area
provides summer range for bighorn sheep, mule deer, black bear, and elk with elk
migration routes and summer concentration. The Roadless area contains a moose
concentration area with both summer and winter range. Suitable habitat for the
Uncompahgre fritillary butterfly occurs here, as does white-tailed ptarmigan
habitat.
Management Recommendation: An SMA is recommended for this area including a
mineral withdrawal, no logging, no new roads but allowances for existing legal
motorized use.
Powderhorn Wilderness Addition
17,087 acres
Description: This area is located in southern Gunnison County, about 12 miles
northeast of Lake City. It would be an addition to the north end of the existing
Powderhorn Wilderness.
Special Qualities: These areas provide mid-elevation habitat for diverse species
including elk, mule deer, beaver, coyote, bobcat, mountain lion and moose. The
Powderhorn additions contain the headwaters of Indian Creek and a part of the
West Fork of Powderhorn Creek and contain Colorado River Cutthroat Trout
watersheds. The areas also have mapped Bald Eagle roosts and winter range as well
as potential sage grouse and lynx habitat. Portions of this area are BLM Wilderness
Study areas and are currently managed for wilderness qualities. There area is not
heavily used except for during the hunting season.
Management Recommendation: All roads and motorized trails were removed
from the boundaries, thus, Wilderness designation is recommended for the
remaining area.
Uncompahgre Wilderness Additions
Failes/Soldier Creek (6,219 acres), Little Cimarron (4,058 acres), Turret Ridge
(4,534 acres)
Description: This area is approximately 11 miles northeast of Ouray. The area
would be an addition to the northern boundary of the existing Uncompahgre
Wilderness. Elevations range from 8,800 to 12,400 feet.
Special Qualities: The area provides summer habitat for black bear, turkey, mule
deer and mountain lion as well as black bear fall concentration. The area provides
elk summer and winter concentration and a calving area as well as moose summer
and winter range and priority habitat. . The area also contains lynx habitat,
Gunnison prairie dog, bald eagle winter range and bighorn sheep habitat. This area
has been identified as potential lynx habitat and includes Colorado River cutthroat
trout watersheds (East Fork, Middle Fork and West Fork of the Cimarron River).
White-tailed ptarmigan habitat exists within the alpine areas as well as a peregrine
nesting site. This area is also bighorn sheep overall range with some summer and
winter range areas. Sensitive species dependent on spruce/fir riparian habitats
including American marten, American three-toed woodpecker, wolverine, northern
goshawk and boreal owl occur here.
Management Recommendation: All three Roadless areas are Recommended
Wilderness in the 2007 draft Forest Plan. All non-wilderness uses were removed
from the proposal area, thus Wilderness designation is recommended.