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! Lands&with&Wilderness&Characteristics:&Grape&Creek&WSA&Contiguous&Units&

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&!!!!!!Grape!Creek!Wilderness!Study!Area,!Royal!Gorge!Field!Office!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Photo:!John!Sztukowski&

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&The!intent!of!this!report!is!to!present!objective!data!to!illustrate!that!the!area!in!question!qualifies!as!Lands!with!Wilderness!Characteristics!(LWC),!in!accordance!with!Bureau!of!Land!Management!(BLM)!Manuals!6310!and!6320.!!The!information!presented!in!this!report!meets!the!minimum!standards!for!review!of!new!information!per!Manual!6310,!and!accordingly!BLM!must!review!this!information!and!make!its!findings!and!documentation!of!the!review!process!available!to!the!public!as!soon!as!practicable.!

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Submitted&by:!!

Wild!Connections!2168!Pheasant!Place,!Colorado!Springs,!CO!80909!info@wildconnections.org;!(719)!686!Q!5905!

&Prepared&by:&

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Kristin!Skoog,!Board!of!Directors,!Wild!Connections!kristin@wildconnections.org;&(719)!650!Q!0193!

!John!Sztukowski,!Wildlands!Inventory!Coordinator,!Wild!Connections!

john@wildconnections.org;&(817)!939!–!4239!!

Report&Date:&&

May!2015!!!

Table&of&Contents&Table&of&Waypoints&and&Figures&.........................................................................................................&3&

Overview&....................................................................................................................................................&6!

Discussion&of&Wilderness&Characteristics&including&Boundary&Delineations&....................&9!I.##Grape#Creek#WSA#Contiguous#Units#proposed#LWC#meets#the#minimum#size#criteria#for#roadless#lands.&....................................................................................................................................&9&Size&&&Route&Analysis:&LWC&Units&West&of&Grape&Creek&WSAs&.................................................&9&War!Dance!Mine!unit!(COFQ020Q12)!...........................................................................................................!10!Goat!Park!unit!(COFQ020Q23)!.........................................................................................................................!10!Susie’s!Ridge!unit!(COFQ020Q88)!..................................................................................................................!10!Iron!Mountain!unit!(COFQ020Q51)!...............................................................................................................!11!West!Pierce!Gulch!unit!(COFQ020Q013)!.....................................................................................................!11!Pine!Gulch!unit!(COFQ020Q24)!.......................................................................................................................!11!Westfall!Gulch!unit!(COFQ020Q014)!............................................................................................................!12!Bull!Domingo!West!unit!(COFQ020Q015)!..................................................................................................!12!Dead!Mule!unit!(COFQ020Q025)!....................................................................................................................!12!

Size&&&Route&Analysis:&LWC&Units&East&of&Grape&Creek&WSAs&................................................&12&BH!Subdivision!unit!(COFQ020Q26)!.............................................................................................................!13!Hellgateway!North!unit!(COFQ020Q28)!......................................................................................................!13!East!Pierce!Gulch!(COFQ020Q21)!...................................................................................................................!13!N.!Bear!Gulch!unit!(COFQ020Q29)!.................................................................................................................!13!Horseshoe!MtQAdamic!unit!(COFQ020Q30)!...............................................................................................!14!Horseshoe!MtQAdamic!2!unit!(COFQ020Q31)!...........................................................................................!14!

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Marsh!Gulch!unit!(COFQ020Q16)!...................................................................................................................!14!II.#Grape#Creek#WSA#Contiguous#Units#proposed#LWC#meets#the#naturalness#criteria#for#roadless#lands.&.......................................................................................................................................&15&The!Grape!Creek!WSA!Contiguous!Units!proposed!LWC!is!primarily!affected!by!the!forces!

of!nature.!......................................................................................................................................................................!15!The!Grape!Creek!WSA!Contiguous!Units!proposed!LWC!provides!outstanding!

opportunities!for!solitude!and!unconfined!recreation.!...........................................................................!15!The!Grape!Creek!WSA!Contiguous!Units!proposed!LWC!has!supplemental!values!that!

would!enhance!the!wilderness!experience!and!should!be!recognized!and!protected.!.............!16!Naturalness&&&Supplemental&Values:&Differences&.....................................................................&19&Susie’s!Ridge!unit!(COFQ020Q88)!..................................................................................................................!19!Pine!Gulch!unit!(COFQ020Q024)!....................................................................................................................!20!BH!Subdivision!unit!(COFQ020Q26)!.............................................................................................................!20!Hellgateway!North!unit!(COFQ020Q28)!......................................................................................................!20!HorseshoeQMt.!Adamic!2!unit!(COFQ020Q31)!..........................................................................................!21!

Contiguous&Unit&without&LWCs&........................................................................................................&21&Hellgateway!South!unit!(COFQ020Q27)!......................................................................................................!21!

Summary&and&Conclusion&..................................................................................................................&22!

Waypoints&in&the&Grape&Creek&Contiguous&Units&proposed&LWC&.........................................&23!!!!!

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Table&of&Waypoints&and&Figures&Figure!1!Wild!Connections!Map!of!Grape!Creek!Contiguous!Units!............................................................!4!Figure!2!BLM!LWCI!Map,!South!of!Cañon!City,!CO!............................................................................................!5!!

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Figure&1&Wild&Connections&Map&of&Grape&Creek&Contiguous&Units&

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Figure&2&BLM&LWCI&Map,&South&of&Cañon&City,&CO&

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Overview&!

The!Grape!Creek!WSA!Contiguous!Units!proposed!Lands!with!Wilderness!Characteristics!(LWC)!is!comprised!of!BLM!lands!contiguous!with!the!Lower!and!Upper!Grape!Creek!Wilderness!Study!Area!(WSAs).!!The!proposed!LWC!is!made!up!of!sixteen!units!that!comprise!approximately!8,100!acres.!The!proposed!LWC!is!located!to!the!south!and!west!of!Cañon!City,!CO!and!northeast!of!Westcliffe,!CO.!!This!area!is!about!60!miles!by!road!southwest!of!Colorado!Springs,!CO.!!The!units!in!the!proposed!LWC!are!distributed!across!an!area!of!approximately!65!square!miles,!with!two!Grape!Creek!WSAs!at!the!core!of!that!area.!!The!proposed!LWC!is!contained!within!an!area!bound!by!Copper!Gulch!Road!(CR!28,!27A,!and!215)!on!the!north!and!west,!CR!96!on!the!south!,!CR!255!on!the!southeast,!!CR!143!on!the!east,!and!CR!3!and!3A!on!the!north.!!Most!of!the!units!are!located!in!Fremont!County,!with!two!units!in!Custer!County.!!

The!current!Lower!and!Upper!Grape!Creek!WSAs!consist!of!over!21,400!acres!of!public!land,!with!diverse!terrain!from!rolling!hills!to!rugged!canyons!to!rich!riparian!zones!along!the!creek.!!Lower!Grape!Creek!WSA!consists!of!11,220!acres!and!Upper!Grape!Creek!WSA!consists!of!10,200!acres.!!The!area!has!a!long!recreation!season,!and!is!valued!for!its!varied!ecosystems,!angling,!hunting,!and!hiking.!!The!Grape!Creek!riparian!area!is!an!Area!of!Critical!Environmental!Concern!(ACEC).!!Eight!of!the!LWC!units,!approximately!3,500!acres,!are!within!or!adjacent!to!the!Grape!Creek!Area!of!Critical!Environmental!Concern!(ACEC).!!The!Grape!Creek!WSA,!along!with!the!proposed!contiguous!units,!also!support!extraordinary!biological!values.!The!Colorado!Natural!Heritage!Program!(CNHP)!recognizes!two!high!biodiversity!areas!as!Potential!Conservation!Areas!(PCA)!that!overlap!with!four!of!the!contiguous!units.!!BLM!lands!that!are!contiguous!with!the!WSA!share!many!of!the!natural!values!of!the!WSAs,!and!can!expand!the!overall!wilderness!core!by!8,100!acres.!!!The!proposed!LWC!also!extends!a!greater!connectivity!corridor!–!from!the!approximately!240,000!acre!United!States!Forest!Service!(USFS)’s!Wet!Mountains!of!the!San!Isabel!National!Forest!contiguous!to!the!east!to!the!approximately!16,000!acre!McIntyre!Hills!WSA!and!other!large!roadless!proposed!LWC!units!located!to!the!north!and!west.!!!!!

While!none!of!the!units!meet!the!LWC!size!requirement!of!5,000!acres,!they!qualify!for!Lands!with!Wilderness!Characteristics!(LWC)!as!they!are!“contiguous!with!lands!which!have!been!formally!determined!to!have!wilderness!or!potential!wilderness!values,!or!any!Federal!lands!managed!for!the!protection!of!wilderness!characteristics”!–!including!Wilderness!Study!Areas!(BLM!Manual!6310,!p!5).!!The!Grape!Creek!WSA!Contiguous!Units!proposed!LWC!is!largely!bordered!by!private!property.!Fourteen!of!the!proposed!LWC!units!are!completely!insulated!by!private!property,!where!they!are!not!contiguous!with!the!WSA.!!The!only!units!directly!accessible!by!public!road!are!Susie’s!Ridge!and!N.!Bear!Gulch.!!The!dearth!of!public!access!is!a!major!factor!in!the!lack!of!visitation!and!the!apparent!naturalness!of!many!of!the!units.!!

The!BLM!produced!reports!on!these!sixteen!contiguous!units!(and!one!more)!as!part!of!their!overall!LWC!inventory!for!the!region.!!For!the!Grape!Creek!Contiguous!Units!proposed!LWC,!much!of!the!BLM’s!assessment!of!the!LWC!boundaries!and!characteristics!appear!to!be!accurate.!!The!BLM!found!wilderness!characteristics!on!eleven!of!the!sixteen!proposed!LWC!units.!!Wild!Connections!believes!there!may!be!wilderness!character!in!five!additional!units:!!Susie’s!Ridge,!Pine!Gulch,!BH!

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Subdivision,!Hellgateway!North,!and!HorseshoeQ!Mt.!Adamic.!All!of!these!units!are!outlined!in!the!above!map,!displaying!what!units!the!BLM!did!and!did!note!find!LWCs.!!Note,!Wild!Connections!attempted!to!follow!land!ownership!boundaries!on!this!map,!however!sometime!the!ownership!data!contradicts!the!boundaries!of!the!BLM!LWC!inventory.!!The!BLM!should!determine!the!exact!boundaries!when!this!is!the!case.!!!!

The!Grape!Creek!WSA!Contiguous!Units!has!high!habitat!and!range!values!for!many!wildlife!species,!as!they!share!a!large!connectivity!corridor!with!the!greater!Grape!Creek!WSA!complex.!!Such!species!include!Rocky!Mountain!bighorn!sheep,!black!bear,!elk,!mule!deer,!whiteQtailed!deer,!pronghorn,!black!bear,!mountain!lion,!and!the!Colorado!BLM!sensitive!Gunnison’s!prairie!dog.!!Critical!and!valued!bird!species!identified!in!this!area!include!the!Mexican!spotted!owl,!bald!eagle,!and!scaled!quail,!all!listed!as!Species!of!Most!Concern.!

Opportunities!for!solitude!and!primitive!recreation!are!abundant!in!the!contiguous!roadless!units!that!form!the!proposed!Grape!Creek!WSA!Contiguous!Units!LWC.!!The!steep!rocky!terrain,!midQelevation!and!highQelevation!mixed!forests,!and!vegetated!drainages,!provide!extensive!opportunity!for!solitude!in!the!forms!of!isolation,!remoteness,!lack!of!visitation,!and!vegetative!and!topographic!screening.!!Similar!to!the!contiguous!WSA,!primitive!recreation!is!also!available!in!all!seasons,!including!hunting,!backpacking,!hiking,!wildlife!viewing,!bird!watching,!and!photography.!!!!

BLM's!Manual!6310!states!that!the!boundary!delineation!for!a!LWC!unit!"is!generally!based!on!the!presence!of!Wilderness!Inventory!Roads"!but!can!also!be!based!on!property!lines!between!different!types!of!land!ownership!or!on!developed!rights!of!way!(Manual!6310,!p!4).!!These!were!the!parameters!Wild!Connections!used!to!define!the!boundaries!of!the!Grape!Creek!WSA!Contiguous!Units!proposed!LWC.!!Only!after!the!true!boundaries!of!the!contiguous!roadless!unit!are!identified!can!an!objective!and!thorough!assessment!of!that!unit's!wilderness!characteristics!be!made.!!!

In!the!spring!of!2013,!Wild!Connections!produced!a!preliminary!boundary!delineation!for!this!unit!based!on!the!size!and!contiguity!requirements!stated!in!Manual!6310!(p!6).!!From!2013!to!2015,!Wild!Connections'!mapping!teams!visited!the!Grape!Creek!WSA!Contiguous!Units!proposed!LWC!several!times!to!conduct!inQdepth,!onQtheQground!inventories!of!these!units.!!Our!goal!was!to!assess!this!area!for!wilderness!characteristics,!based!on!BLM's!Manual!6310,!and!report!our!findings!to!the!BLM's!Royal!Gorge!Field!Office!in!efforts!to!identify!potential!wilderness!areas!to!expand!"wildlands"!corridors!in!central!Colorado.!!Additionally!we!have!reviewed!the!2013!BLM!RGFO!inventory!and!boundaries!and!have!made!assessments!and!adjustments!based!on!our!inQdepth!field!inventories.!!Note!that!Wild!Connections!uses!the!same!unit!names!as!the!BLM!for!clarity!and!transparency!in!this!report.!!!!!

Wild!Connections’!report!offers!new!inQdepth!data!and!information,!including!photo,!narrative,!and!geoQreferenced!data,!supporting!the!Grape!Creek!WSA!Contiguous!Units!proposed!LWC.!!The!boundary!delineations!and!narratives!describing!the!wilderness!characteristics!found!within!these!units!are!detailed!below.!!Waypoints!(many!with!photos)!are!referenced!throughout!this!report;!the!photos!with!geoQdata,!time!and!date!stamp,!description,!and!page!number!can!be!found!at!the!end!of!the!report,!akin!to!the!one!shown!below.!!!&

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!!!!!!!!!!!!Outstanding!opportunity!for!sightseeing:!Crestone!View!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!of!the!Sangre!de!Cristo!Mountain!Range!from!Susie’s!!

!!!!!!!!!!Ridge!(p.!11,19)!!

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Discussion&of&Wilderness&Characteristics&including&Boundary&Delineations&

I.##Grape#Creek#WSA#Contiguous#Units#proposed#LWC#meets#the#minimum#size#criteria#for#roadless#lands.#

!The!Grape!Creek!WSA!Contiguous!Units!proposed!LWC!comprises!approximately!8,100!roadless!acres!that!are!contiguous!with!the!11,220!acres!of!the!Lower!Grape!Creek!WSA!or!the!10,200!acres!of!the!Upper!Grape!Creek!WSA.!!!While!none!of!these!lands!meets!the!minimum!size!criteria!of!5,000!acres!for!a!potential!LWC,!all!of!the!units!meet!the!size!requirements!for!wilderness!characteristics.!!The!units!“are!contiguous!with!lands!which!have!been!formally!determined!to!have!wilderness!or!wilderness!potential!values,!or!any!Federal!lands!managed!for!the!protection!of!wilderness!characteristics”!(BLM!Manual!6310,!p!5).!!BLM’s!designated!Grape!Creek!Wilderness!Study!Area!(WSA)!meets!these!qualifications!and!shares!a!common!boundary!with!all!sixteen!contiguous!units.!!!!With!regard!to!route!determination,!BLM’s!Manual!6310!states!that!a!"way"!maintained!solely!by!the!passage!of!vehicles!does!not!constitute!a!"road"!for!purposes!of!inventorying!wilderness!characteristics.!!A!"way"!that!is!used!on!a!continuous!and!regular!basis!still!does!not!constitute!a!road.!!Additionally,!a!vehicle!route!that!was!constructed!by!mechanical!means,!but!is!no!longer!being!maintained!by!mechanical!methods!is!also!not!a!road.!!By!comparison,!a!Wilderness!Inventory!Road!(WIR)!is!a!vehicle!road!that!has!"been!improved!and!maintained!by!mechanical!means!to!ensure!relatively!regular!and!continuous!use"!(Manual!6310,!p!11).!!Wild!Connections'!inventory!of!this!area!assesses!routes!that!are!or!are!not!considered!WIRs!based!on!the!above!definitions!from!Manual!6310.!!Routes!that!did!meet!the!criteria!for!WIRs!were!removed!from!the!unit!as!cherry!stems.!!

!For!the!Grape!Creek!WSA!Contiguous!Units!proposed!LWC,!the!BLM’s!assessment!of!the!LWC!unit!boundaries!appears!to!be!largely!accurate.!!This!report!will!outline!each!unit’s!boundaries,!beginning!with!the!northwesterly!unit,!War!Dance!Mine,!and!rotating!counterclockwise.!The!document!has!been!divided!into!the!Western!and!Eastern!sides!of!the!WSAs!for!convenience.!!!

!This!section!describes!how!the!units!meet!the!size!or!exception!criteria!for!Lands!with!Wilderness!Characteristics.!!Note!that!all!of!the!units!meet!the!exception!criteria!of!contiguousness!to!the!Upper!or!Lower!Grape!Creek!WSA.!!!!

Size&&&Route&Analysis:&LWC&Units&West&of&Grape&Creek&WSAs&!

These!units!are!located!west!of!the!Grape!Creek!WSAs,!and!east!of!Copper!Gulch!Road.!!The!units!are!listed!counter!clockwise!order!from!the!north!–!the!units!are!listed!generally!in!north!to!south!order.!!

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War$Dance$Mine$unit$(COF1020112)$The!War$Dance$Mine$unit$(COF1020112)!borders!the!Lower!Grape!Creek!WSA!on!the!north!and!east!edges!of!the!unit.!!The!remainder!of!the!unit!is!bound!by!private!property.!!The!unit!is!not!accessible!by!vehicle,!as!an!existing!route!is!blocked!by!private!property!at!Waypoint!2.!!However,!this!route,!or!any!other!route,!does!not!extend!into!the!War!Dance!Mine!unit.!!Wild!Connections!concurs!with!the!BLM!assessment!that!the!War!Dance!Mine!unit!meets!the!size!exception!for!LWCs.!!

!Goat$Park$unit$(COF1020123)!

The!Goat!Park!unit!(COFQ020Q23)$borders!the!Lower!Grape!Creek!WSA!on!the!north!edge.!The!south!edge!is!bordered!by!wilderness!inventory!road!COQ020Q023QA,!which!is!not!accessible!to!the!public.!The!remainder!of!the!unit,!including!the!east!and!west!corners,!is!bordered!by!private!property.!!!!The!BLM!identified!route!COQ020Q023QA!to!be!a!WIR!that!was!constructed!by!mechanical!means!(cut/fill),!and!is!maintained!for!administrative!purposes!and!to!access!an!inholding.!!Wild!Connections!concurs!with!BLM’s!assessment!that!COQ020Q023QA!is!a!WIR,!and!it!will!serve!as!a!portion!of!the!proposed!LWC!unit’s!southeast!boundary.!Waypoint!1!shows!the!dense!vegetation!and!lack!of!roads!in!the!Grape!Creek!WSA!located!to!the!north!of!the!unit.!!Wild!Connections!concurs!with!the!BLM!assessment!that!the!Goat!Park!unit!meets!the!size!exception!for!LWCs.!!!

Susie’s$Ridge$unit$(COF1020188)!The!Susie’s!Ridge!unit!(COFQ020Q88)!borders!the!Lower!Grape!Creek!WSA!on!the!east,!WIR!COQ020Q023QA!on!the!northwest,!Fremont!County!Rd!1!on!the!southwest!corner,!WIR!COQ020Q023QC!on!the!south,!and!state!land!on!the!east.!!The!remainder!of!the!unit,!including!the!western!and!southern!edges,!is!bordered!by!private!property.!!!!The!BLM!found!two!WIRs!within!the!unit.!!The!BLM!determined!COQ020Q023QA!to!be!a!WIR!that!was!constructed!by!mechanical!means!(cut/fill),!and!is!maintained!for!BLM!administrative!purposes!and!to!access!an!inholding.!!Wild!Connections!concurs!with!BLM’s!assessment!that!COQ020Q023QA!is!a!WIR,!and!COQ020Q023QA!and!a!small!surrounding!acreage!(the!Green!Mountain!Mine)!will!be!removed!as!a!cherrystem!from!proposed!LWC.!!Wild!Connections!concurs!with!BLM’s!assessment!that!CR!1!is!a!WIR,!and!it!will!

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&Grape&Creek&(1)&[&ESE&&&&&&&&&&&&&Dense!vegetation!in!roadless!Grape!Creek!WSA,!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!north!of!Goat!Park!unit!!(p.!10)!!

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serve!as!a!portion!of!the!proposed!LWC!unit’s!southern!boundary.!!The!BLM!determined!COQ020Q023QC!to!be!a!maintained!WIR!that!was!constructed!by!mechanical!means!(bladed),!and!is!maintained!for!BLM!administrative!purposes!and!to!access!an!inholding.!!Wild!Connections!concurs!with!BLM’s!assessment!that!COQ020Q023QC!is!a!WIR,!and!it!will!serve!as!a!portion!of!the!proposed!LWC!unit’s!southern!boundary.!!Waypoint!4!depicts!the!Crestone!View!from!Susie’s!Ridge,!which!also!shows!CR!1!in!the!distance!from!the!interior!of!the!unit.!!!While!the!BLM!states!that!Susie’s!ridge!does!not!meet!the!size!exception!requirements!for!LWCs,!the!unit!is!contiguous!with!the!Lower!Grape!Creek!WSA!at!its!northeast!boundary.!

!Iron$Mountain$unit$(COF1020151)!

The!Iron!Mountain!unit!(COFQ020Q51),!the!smallest!of!the!units!in!the!proposed!LWC!at!approximately!28!acres,!borders!the!Lower!Grape!Creek!WSA!on!the!unit’s!south!edge.!!!The!remainder!of!the!unit!is!bound!by!private!property.!!The!unit!is!not!publicly!accessible,!except!through!the!contiguous!WSA.!Wild!Connections!concurs!with!the!BLM’s!assessment!that!segment!C0Q020Q051A!does!not!constitute!a!WIR,!because!is!not!continuously!used!nor!maintained.!!Wild!Connections!concurs!with!the!BLM!assessment!that!unit!COFQ020Q51!meets!the!size!exception!for!LWCs.!!!

West$Pierce!Gulch!unit!(COFQ020Q013)$The!Pierce!Gulch!unit!(COFQ020Q013)!borders!the!Lower!Grape!Creek!WSA!on!the!unit’s!south!edge,!and!borders!the!Upper!Grape!creek!WSA!on!the!unit’s!east!edge.!!The!remainder!of!the!unit!is!bound!by!private!property.!!!!The!BLM!determined!that!route!COQ020Q013QA,!which!follows!the!bottom!of!the!gulch,!is!not!a!WIR.!!The!route!has!been!closed!in!the!Arkansas!River!TMP.!!Wild!Connections!concurs!with!the!BLM’s!assessment!of!the!route,!and!that!the!unit!meets!the!size!exception!for!LWCs.!!Wild!Connections!inventoried!this!unit!in!2013,!and!concurs!that!there!is!evidence!of!ATV!and!fullQsize!vehicle!use!in!the!WSA.!!Waypoint!7!views!this!drainage!with!rock!barriers!to!deter!motorized!use!on!COQ020Q013QA,!which!separates!the!unit!from!the!contiguous!WSA!to!the!south.!!Wild!Connections!did!observe!faint!evidence!of!ATV!use!in!this!gulch.!

!Pine$Gulch$unit$(COF1020124)$$!

The!Pine!Gulch!unit!(COFQ020Q24)!is!bounded!on!the!east!by!the!Lower!Grape!Creek!WSA!and!on!the!north!and!south!by!private!land.!!The!BLM!LWC!inventory!states!that!the!unit’s!western!boundary!is!route!COQ020Q024QA.!!The!aerial!photograph!included!in!the!report!instead!indicates!that!the!western!boundary!is!a!linear!northQsouth!boundary!with!State!Land,!which!is!not!visible!on!the!ground.!!!!The!photograph!and!map!indicate!that!the!route!bisects!the!unit,!but!the!route!traced!on!the!topographic!map!does!not!match!the!aerial!photograph!in!the!eastern!part!of!the!unit.!!!The!report!contains!conflicting!information!about!whether!the!route!is!or!is!not!maintained,!and!the!report!states!that!the!route!does!not!receive!continuous!use.!The!BLM!report!indicates!that!COQ020Q024QA!is!not!a!WIR,!and!that!the!route!will!remain!open!exclusively!for!administrative!purposes.!!Wild!

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Connections!concurs!with!the!BLM!that!no!WIRs!exist!in!Pine!Gulch,!and!that!the!unit!meets!the!size!exception!criteria!for!LWCs.!!

!Westfall!Gulch!unit!(COFQ020Q014)!

The!Westfall!Gulch!unit!(COFQ020Q014)!borders!the!Lower!Grape!Creek!WSA!on!the!unit’s!eastern!edge.!!The!remainder!of!the!unit!is!bound!by!private!property.!!!!The!BLM!did!not!provide!photopoint!or!geoQreferenced!data!for!this!unit.!!The!report!contains!an!aerial!photograph!of!the!area.!No!WIRs!were!found!within!the!unit.!!The!BLM!identified!one!route,!COQ020Q014A.!!The!route!is!closed!in!the!Arkansas!River!TMP,!and!is!apparently!not!maintained!or!used!regularly.!!The!BLM!notes!that!OHV!use!is!apparent!on!this!route,!but!it!is!unclear!how!that!information!was!determined.!The!unit!is!not!publicly!accessible,!except!through!the!contiguous!WSA,!and!so!Wild!Connections!was!unable!to!inventory!the!unit.!Wild!Connections!concurs!with!the!BLM!assessment!that!the!Westfall!Gulch!unit!meets!the!size!exception!for!LWCs.!!!

Bull!Domingo!West!unit!(COFQ020Q015)!The!Bull!Domingo!West!unit!(COFQ020Q015)!borders!the!Lower!Grape!Creek!WSA!on!the!unit’s!southeastern!edge.!!The!remainder!of!the!unit!is!bound!by!private!property.!!The!unit!is!not!publicly!accessible,!except!through!the!contiguous!WSA.!!!!The!BLM!identified!a!route!COFQ020Q015QA,!which!runs!along!the!southeastern!boundary!with!the!WSA.!!The!route!has!evidence!of!use!by!ATVs!and!fullQsize!vehicles,!even!though!the!road!was!closed!to!motor!vehicles!in!the!2006!Arkansas!River!Travel!Management!Plan!(TMP).!!Wild!Connections!was!unable!to!inventory!the!unit.!!Wild!Connections!concurs!with!the!BLM!assessment!that!unit!COFQ020Q015!meets!the!size!exception!for!LWCs.!!

!Dead$Mule$unit$(COF10201025)!

The!Dead!Mule!unit!(COFQ020Q025)!is!bounded!by!the!Lower!Grape!Creek!WSA!on!the!north.!!!The!remainder!of!the!unit!is!bound!by!private!property.!!The!unit!is!not!publicly!accessible,!except!through!the!contiguous!WSA.!!!!The!BLM!identified!a!WIR,!COFQ020Q025QA,!which!is!cherryQstemmed!into!the!unit!for!rangeland!management.!!The!WIR!also!serves!as!an!administrative!access!route!to!Grape!Creek.!!Wild!Connections!concurs!with!the!BLM!assessment!that!unit!COFQ020Q025!meets!the!size!exception!for!LWCs.!!WIR!COFQ020Q025QA!will!be!cherryQstemmed!out!of!the!proposed!LWC.!!!

Size&&&Route&Analysis:&LWC&Units&East&of&Grape&Creek&WSAs&!These!units!are!located!east!of!the!Grape!Creek!WSAs,!and!west!of!Oak!Creek!Grade!Road!(CR!143).!!The!units!are!listed!counter!clockwise!order!from!the!south!–!the!units!are!listed!generally!in!south!to!north!order.!!

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BH$Subdivision$unit$(COF1020126)$$The!BH!Subdivision!unit!(COFQ020Q26)!borders!the!Upper!Grape!Creek!WSA!on!the!unit’s!western!boundary.!!The!west,!east,!and!south!edges!are!entirely!bound!by!private!property.!!!The!BLM!determined!that!a!route!(COQ020Q026QA),!located!in!the!extreme!southeast!of!the!unit,!is!a!WIR,!due!to!the!regular!use!it!receives.!!The!route!is!used!daily!to!access!a!cabin,!and!is!regularly!maintained!and!improved.!!There!is!no!known!ROW!associated!with!this!subdivision!road.!!Wild!Connections!concurs!with!BLM’s!assessment!of!COFQ020Q026QA!as!a!WIR.!!The!WIR!will!serve!as!the!southeastern!boundary!of!the!proposed!LWC.!!The!remaining!portion!of!the!unit!west!of!the!WIR!meets!the!size!exception!for!LWCs.!

!Hellgateway$North$unit$(COF1020128)$$

The!Hellgateway!North!unit!(COFQ020Q28)!borders!the!borders!the!Upper!Grape!Creek!WSA!on!the!unit’s!northern!boundary.!!The!south!and!west!edges!of!the!unit!are!bound!by!private!property.!!The!northeastern!edge!of!the!unit!is!shared!with!property!of!the!State!Land!Board.!!No!WIRs!were!identified!within!the!unit.!The!report!lists!one!route!(COQ020Q028QA),!used!for!recreational!access!by!OHVs.!!Note!that!this!route!was!closed!in!the!2006!Arkansas!River!TMP.!!The!contiguous!state!land!may!provide!public!vehicular!access!between!the!unit!and!Bear!Gulch!Road,!which!is!the!only!major!pubic!road!into!the!heart!of!the!Grape!Creek!WSA!region.!!The!BLM!reports!evidence!of!mechanical!construction,!and!continuous!use!(multiple!times!per!day).!!Regular!maintenance!was!not!documented,!but!was!attributed!to!“the!subdivision”.!!!Wild!Connections!concurs!with!the!BLM!that!the!Hellgateway!North!unit!does!meet!the!size!exception!for!LWCs.!!

!East$Pierce$Gulch$(COF1020121)$$

The!East!Pierce!Gulch!unit!(COFQ020Q21)!borders!the!Upper!Grape!Creek!WSA!on!the!unit’s!west,!south,!and!east!edges,!and!borders!the!Lower!Grape!Creek!WSA!on!the!unit’s!north!edge.!!The!BLM!determined!that!route!COQ020Q021QA,!which!follows!the!bottom!of!the!gulch,!is!not!a!WIR,!because!the!route!has!been!closed!in!the!Arkansas!River!TMP.!!Wild!Connections!inventoried!this!unit!in!2013,!and!concurs!with!the!BLM’s!assessment!of!the!route,!and!that!the!unit!meets!the!size!exception!for!LWCs.!!!

!N.$Bear$Gulch$unit$(COF1020129)$$

The!N.!Bear!Gulch!unit!(COFQ020Q29)!borders!the!Lower!Grape!Creek!WSA!on!the!unit’s!western!boundary.!!The!north!and!east!edges!of!the!unit!are!bound!by!the!USFS!San!Isabel!National!Forest,!specifically!the!western!flank!of!Curly!Peak.!!The!south!edge!of!the!unit!is!State!Land!Board!property.!!!!!The!BLM!determined!that!a!route!(COQ020Q029QA)!in!the!unit!is!a!WIR!that!was!constructed!by!mechanical!means.!!This!route!would!be!maintained!to!ensure!administrative!access.!!This!route!is!accessible!to!the!public,!and!provides!access!to!dispersed!camping!and!hunting!areas.!!The!route!does!not!significantly!degrade!opportunities!for!solitude!nor!for!primitive!and!unconfined!recreation.!!Access!is!only!possible!by!highQclearance!vehicles.!!Wild!Connections!concurs!with!BLM’s!assessment!of!COFQ020Q029QA!as!a!WIR.!!The!road!is!removed!from!the!proposed!LWC!as!a!

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WIR!cherrystem.!!Wild!Connections!concurs!with!the!BLM!assessment!that!unit!COFQ020Q029!meets!the!size!exception!for!LWCs.!!

!!!!Horseshoe$Mt1Adamic$unit$(COF1020130)$$

The!Horseshoe!MtQAdamic!unit!(COFQ020Q30)!borders!the!Lower!Grape!Creek!WSA!on!the!western!edge.!!The!unit!is!bound!on!the!north!and!east!by!private!land.!!The!unit’s!southern!boundary!is!shared!with!State!Land!Board!property.!!The!unit!is!quite!near!Temple!Canyon!Park.!!!!No!WIRs!were!identified!within!the!unit,!based!on!an!aerial!view!of!the!unit.!!A!route!(COQ020Q030QA)!was!identified!by!the!BLM,!with!the!primary!purpose!being!access!to!rangeland.!!The!aerial!view!shows!a!route!crossing!a!bit!of!the!northQnortheast!corner!or!the!unit.!!No!photo!point!data!is!available!for!this!unit.!!Wild!Connections!concurs!with!the!BLM!assessment!that!unit!COFQ020Q030!meets!the!size!exception!for!LWCs.!

!Horseshoe$Mt1Adamic$2$unit$(COF1020131)$$

The!Horseshoe!MtQAdamic!2!unit!(COFQ020Q31)!borders!the!Lower!Grape!Creek!WSA!on!unit’s!southern!boundary.!!All!other!sides!of!the!unit!are!bound!by!private!property.!!!No!WIRs!were!found!within!the!unit.!Two!ways!were!identified!within!the!unit,!based!on!an!aerial!view!of!the!unit.!!Ways!(COQ020Q031QA!and!QB)!were!identified!by!the!BLM,!with!the!primary!purpose!being!access!to!rangeland.!!The!aerial!view!shows!two!ways!snaking!across!much!of!the!unit.!!The!BLM!reports!no!continuous!use,!maintenance,!nor!improvements,!but!at!the!same!time!reports!observed!vehicle!and!ATV!use.!!Wild!Connections!concurs!with!the!BLM!assessment!that!the!unit!does!meet!the!size!exception!for!LWCs.!!

!Marsh$Gulch$unit$(COF1020116)$$

The!Marsh!Gulch!unit!(COFQ020Q16)!borders!the!Lower!Grape!Creek!WSA!on!the!unit’s!western,!southern,!and!southeastern!boundaries.!!The!northeastern!edge!of!the!unit!is!bound!by!private!property.!!A!corner!at!the!unit’s!southeast!is!shared!with!State!Land!Board!property.!!The!unit!is!one!mile!from!Temple!Canyon!Park!and!near!Royal!Gorge!Park.!!An!inholding!is!excluded!from!the!unit.!!!No!WIRs!were!identified!in!the!unit.!!A!route!(COQ020Q016QA)!was!identified!in!the!eastern!third!of!the!unit,!with!a!primary!purpose!of!equestrian!access!to!rangeland.!!The!route!was!not!mechanically!constructed!or!maintained,!and!is!not!regularly!used!by!vehicles.!!The!route!may!have!originally!been!used!for!prospecting.!!Wild!Connections!notes!that!the!photo!point!data!provided!in!the!BLM!report!are!not!labeled!on!the!map.!!Wild!Connections!is!unable!to!access!the!unit!due!to!surrounding!public!property,!in!order!to!assess!the!route!condition!and!natural!features!in!the!unit.!!Wild!Connections!accepts!the!BLM’s!assessment!of!the!route,!and!concurs!that!the!unit!meets!the!size!exception!for!LWCs.!!!

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II.#Grape#Creek#WSA#Contiguous#Units#proposed#LWC#meets#the#naturalness#criteria#for#roadless#lands.#!

This!section!summarizes!the!natural!qualities!of!the!units!in!the!proposed!LWC,!and!demonstrates!that!these!lands!meet!the!naturalness!criteria!for!LWCs.!!In!eleven!of!the!sixteen!contiguous!units,!the!BLM!and!Wild!Connections!concur!that!the!units!are!largely!natural.!!The!overall!naturalness!of!the!units!is!apparent!(a!requirement!in!BLM!Manual!6310,!p!6Q7).!!There!a!few!minor!human!impacts!spread!throughout!the!Grape!Creek!WSA!Contiguous!Units!proposed!LWC.!!However,!these!impacts!are!examples!of!“humanQmade!features”!that!are!considered!substantially!unnoticeable!and!thus!do!not!hinder!wilderness!characteristics!(BLM!Manual!6310,!p!6).!!Furthermore,!what!was!found!and!inventoried!in!these!units!does!not!affect!the!natural!integrity!or!the!apparent!naturalness!of!the!units!overall!(BLM!Manual!6310,!p!6Q7).!!Some!of!those!impacts,!such!as!historical!evidence!of!mining!and!logging,!provide!supplemental!values!that!enhance!the!wilderness!experience.!!

!The$Grape$Creek$WSA$Contiguous$Units$proposed$LWC$is$primarily$affected$by$the$forces$of$nature.$!

All!of!the!units!in!the!proposed!LWC!share!similar!natural!characteristics!found!in!the!contiguous!Grape!Creek!WSAs.!!The!units!are!generally!rugged,!with!canyons,!gulches,!and!mountains.!!The!central!units!support!the!lower!elevations!of!the!overall!riparian!wilderness!core,!between!6,000!–!7,000!feet!elevation.!!These!areas!consist!of!pinyonQjuniper!woodlands,!with!cottonwoods!in!the!gulches!and!riparian!areas,!and!ponderosa!pine!on!the!north!facing!slopes.!!The!core!is!part!of!the!Grape!Creek!ACEC,!and!CNHP’s!Grape!Creek!PCA.!!CNHP!found!B2!significance!(Very!high!Biodiversity)!along!the!Grape!Creek!core.!!Tributaries!of!Grape!Creek!are!steep!washes!with!occasional!or!intermittent!flow.!!The!western!units!in!the!proposed!LWC!are!located!on!the!DeWeese!Plateau.!!Elevations!range!from!7,500!feet!near!the!DeWeese!Reservoir!in!the!south,!to!peaks!over!8,000!feet!near!Iron!Mountain!and!Susie’s!Ridge.!!Copper!Gulch!Road!separates!the!northwestern!units!from!the!McIntyre!Hills!WSA!Contiguous!Units!proposed!LWC.!!!The!eastern!units!in!the!proposed!LWC!are!located!in!the!northern!reach!of!the!Wet!Mountains,!near!the!Tanner!Peak!roadless!area!of!the!San!Isabel!National!Forest.!!Elevations!range!up!to!8,600!feet!near!the!boundaries!with!the!National!Forest.!!Curley!Peak!and!Tanner!Peak,!both!over!9,300!feet,!are!prominent!features!visible!from!several!of!the!eastern!units.!!The!northeastern!units!are!quite!close!to!Temple!Canyon!Park!and!the!Grand!Canyon!Hills!Proposed!LWC.!!

!The$Grape$Creek$WSA$Contiguous$Units$proposed$LWC$provides$outstanding$opportunities$for$solitude$and$unconfined$recreation.$$

!The!Grape!Creek!WSA!Contiguous!Units!proposed!LWC!offers!many!opportunities!for!solitude!and!primitive!and!unconfined!recreation.!!There!are!vast!opportunities!for!solitude!given!the!topographic!variety,!vegetative!cover,!few!public!entry!points,!and!lack!of!designated!trails!

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(motorized!and!nonQmotorized).!!The!steep!canyon!walls!and!mountainous!terrain!make!excellent!subjects!and!stunning!backdrops!for!photography.!!The!rugged!wooded!hills!and!steep!rocky!terrain!provide!excellent!screening!from!unnatural!sights!and!sounds.!!Similarly,!the!dense!forested!interiors!of!the!higher!elevation!areas!provide!excellent!vegetative!screening.!!Furthermore,!the!observed!lack!of!visitation!and!overall!use!in!these!units!provide!outstanding!opportunities!for!respite!and!remoteness!just!about!anywhere!in!the!proposed!LWC.!!The!proposed!LWC!also!provides!some!access!to!the!large!expanse!of!wild!country!in!the!WSAs.!!!Consisting!of!over!8,100!acres!of!contiguous!roadless!wilderness!land,!the!proposed!LWC!offers!a!multitude!of!primitive!and!unconfined!recreational!opportunities!as!well.!!There!are!outstanding!opportunities!for!hiking,!backpacking,!camping,!rock!climbing,!hunting,!wildlife!viewing,!bird!watching,!horseback!riding,!and!photography.!!The!riparian!area!where!Bear!Gulch!meets!Grape!Creek!is!a!popular!fishing!destination.!T!he!BLM!also!documented!primitive!campsites!in!the!N.!Bear!Gulch!Unit.!!

!The$Grape$Creek$WSA$Contiguous$Units$proposed$LWC$has$supplemental$values$that$would$enhance$the$wilderness$experience$and$should$be$recognized$and$protected.$$!

The!Beaver!Creek!contiguous!units!proposed!LWC!contains!significant!wildlife!and!biodiversity!values.!The!BLM!described!highQdensity!mountain!lion!populations!in!Pierce!Gulch!and!East!Pierce!Gulch.!!The!CPW!described!winter!and!severe!winter!range!for!elk!and!mule!deer!in!several!units.!!!Plant!species!found!in!the!region!include:!!•! Nebraska!sedge!(Carex!nebrascensis)!•! RedQosier!dogwood!(Cornus!sericea)!•! Scouring!rush!horsetail!(Equisetum!hyemale)!•! One!seed!juniper!(Juniperus!monosperma)!!•! Rocky!Mountain!juniper!(Juniperus!scopulorum)!•! Arkansas!Canyon!stickleaf!(Nuttallia!densa)!!•! Rocky!pinon!(Pinus!edulis)!•! Narrowleaf!cottonwood!(Populus!angustifolia)!•! Plains!cottonwood!(Populus!deltoides)!•! Gambel!oak!(Quercus!gambelii)!!•! Douglas!fir!(Pseudotsuga!menziesii)!•! Coyote!willow!(Salix!exigua)!!•! Peachleaf!willow!(Salix!amygdaloides)!

!The!CNHP!Grape!Creek!PCA!is!documented!in!the!Survey!of!Critical!Wetlands!and!Riparian!Areas!in!Fremont!County,!(2006.)!!The!PCA!extends!one!kilometer!on!each!side!around!Grape!Creek!and!Bear!Gulch,!which!includes!part!of!the!Pierce!Gulch!and!N.!Bear!Creek!units.!!CNHP!ranks!the!Grape!Creek!PCA!as!B2!significance!(Very!high!Biodiversity).!! !The!significant!biodiversity!elements!described!by!CHNHP!include:!

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•! Globally!imperiled!(G2G3/S2S3)!riparian!natural!community!of!narrow!leaf!cottonwood!R!Rocky!

Mountain!juniper!woodland.!!!

•! A!good!(BRranked)!occurrence!of!the!globally!vulnerable!(G3/S2)!narrowleaf!cottonwood!R!

DouglasRfir!woodland.!!

•! Good!to!fair!(BCRranked)!occurrence!of!the!apparently!globally!secure!but!state!imperiled!!

(G4/S2)!Rocky!Mountain!juniper!/!RedRosier!dogwood)!woodland.!!

•! Several!fair!(CRranked)!occurrences!of!a!globally!imperiled!(G2/S2)!plant,!Arkansas!Canyon!

stickleaf!(Nuttallia!densa),!have!also!been!documented.!!

High!habitat!and!range!values!for!many!wildlife!species!have!been!identified!in!the!Grape!Creek!WSA!Contiguous!Units!proposed!LWC.!!Rocky!Mountain!Wild’s!(RMW)!Assessment!of!Biological!Impact!(ABI)!documented!the!following!mammals!and!associated!values!within!the!unit:!!

•! Rocky!Mountain!bighorn!sheep!(Ovis!canadensis!Canadensis)!production!area,!overall!range,!summer!range,!winter!range,!severe!winter!range,!winter!concentration!area,!and!summer!concentration!area!

•! Black!bear!(Ursus!americanus)!overall!range,!summer!concentration!area,!and!fall!concentration!area!

•! Elk!(Cervus!Canadensis)!overall!range,!summer!range,!winter!range,!and!severe!winter!range!•! Mule!deer!(Odocoileus!hemionus)!overall!range,!summer!range,!summer!concentration!area,!

winter!range,!severe!winter!range,!and!winter!concentration!area!•! WhiteQtailed!deer!(Odocoileus!virginianus)!overall!range!•! Pronghorn!(Antilocapra!americana)!overall!range,!winter!range,!and!severe!winter!range!•! Mountain!lion!(Puma!concolor)!overall!range!•! Brazilian!free!tailed!bat!(Tadarida!brasiliensis)!overall!range!•! Gunnison’s!prairie!dog!(Cynomys!gunnisoni)!overall!range!•! Aberts!squirrel!(Sciurus!aberti)!overall!range.!!!

A!couple!of!these!animals!are!particularly!noteworthy.!!Gunnison’s!prairie!dog!is!listed!as!a!Species!of!Most!Concern!by!the!US!Wildlife!Conservation!and!Restoration!Program’s!(WCRP)!Comprehensive!Wildlife!Conservation!Strategy!(CWCS),!as!well!as!listed!as!Colorado!BLM!sensitive.!!The!Brazilian!free!tailed!bat!is!a!Colorado!state!ranked!critically!imperiled!species.!

Many!critical!and!valued!bird!species!have!also!been!identified!in!the!proposed!LWC.!!Of!note,!these!units!provide!winter!forage!and!winter!range!for!the!bald!eagle!(Haliaeetus!leucocephalus),!which!is!listed!as!Colorado!BLM!Sensitive,!CWCS!Species!of!Most!Concern,!and!Partnership!in!Flight!Priority!Bird.!!These!units!provide!proposed!critical!habitat!for!the!Mexican!spotted!owl!(Strix!occidentalis!lucida),!which!is!a!CPW!endangered!species,!a!CWCS!Species!of!Most!Concern,!and!Partnership!in!Flight!Priority!Bird.!!The!area!also!provides!overall!range!for!the!scaled!quail!(Callipepla!squamata),!which!is!also!a!CWCS!Species!of!Most!Concern!and!Partnership!in!Flight!Priority!Bird.!

RMW!also!identifies!wild!turkey!(Meleagris!gallopavo)!roost!sites,!overall!range,!winter!range,!and!winter!concentration!area;!great!blue!heron!(Ardea!Herodias)!foraging!area;!and!Canadian!goose!(Branta!canadensis)!foraging!area,!production!area,!winter!concentration,!and!winter!range.!!!

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The!proposed!LWC!also!contains!lands!with!supplemental!values!that!date!back!to!historic!mining!activity!during!the!Cripple!Creek!Gold!Rush!of!the!late!1800s.!!At!the!height!of!the!boom,!a!railroad!was!built!in!Grape!Creek!Canyon.!The!railroad!grade!is!visible!from!part!of!the!East!Pierce!Gulch!unit.!!!The!Goat!Park!and!War!Dance!mine!units!are!near!the!“Sunset!City”!historic!location,!where!a!stage!stop!served!the!travelers!on!the!Copper!Gulch!Stage!line!between!Cañon!City!and!Silver!Cliff!around!1879.!!Pits!and!small!mines,!and!the!historical!ways!used!to!access!them!are!present!throughout!the!units.!!The!mining!boom!also!resulted!in!deforestation!and!excessive!grazing!throughout!the!area.!!The!resultant!catastrophic!flooding!destroyed!the!railroad!in!the!early!1900s.!!Historic!mining!and!logging!sites!are!weathering!reQvegetating.!The!disturbances!from!historic!mining!pits!and!roads!are!no!longer!significant!detractions!to!natural!character!due!to!revegetation,!but!rather!augment!the!experience!for!visitors.!!!Wild!Connections!believes!that!the!units!in!the!Grape!Creek!WSA!Contiguous!Units!proposed!LWC!are!all!primarily!influenced!by!nature!and!are!without!significant!human!impacts.!!These!units!provide!outstanding!opportunities!for!solitude!and!primitive!recreation,!and!supplemental!values!for!wildlife!and!imperiled!species.!!Wild!Connections!has!illustrated,!where!possible,!that!the!Grape!Creek!WSA!Contiguous!Units!proposed!LWC!meets!the!naturalness!criteria!for!LWCs.!

!! !

!

! 19!

Naturalness&&&Supplemental&Values:&Differences&!

This!section!describes!the!units!where!the!BLM!and!Wild!Connections!differ!on!the!naturalness!and!supplemental!values!found!in!the!units.!!

!Susie’s$Ridge$unit$(COF1020188)!

The!BLM!report!on!the!Susie’s!Ridge!unit!(COFQ020Q88)!has!denoted!naturalness!and!opportunities!for!solitude!and!unconfined!recreation!as!“Not!Applicable.”!!Wild!Connections!believes!that!a!large!portion!of!the!unit!does!exhibit!naturalness!and!other!wilderness!values.!!Wild!Connections!was!able!to!inventory!a!portion!of!the!southern!part!of!the!unit!in!October,!2013.!!The!inventory!found!outstanding!opportunities!for!solitude!due!to!steep!topography!and!a!dense!pinyon,!juniper,!and!ponderosa!forest.!!There!is!apparently!very!little!human!visitation!in!the!unit.!!While!some!boundary!roads!are!visible!from!the!higher!points!in!the!unit,!the!photo!referenced!earlier,!Waypoint!4,!shows!CR!1!to!be!only!a!faint!feature!in!the!viewshed.!!The!area!surveyed!was!untrammeled,!and!the!mines!present!in!the!northern!part!of!the!unit!were!not!visible.!!!!The!Susie’s!Ridge!unit!(COFQ020Q88)!has!been!documented!as!having!severe!winter!range!for!elk!and!winter!range!for!deer.!!Our!inventory!found!a!historical!log!cabin!at!Waypoint!6!(right),!and!scenic!views!of!the!Crestone!portion!of!the!Sangre!de!Cristo!range!(Waypoint!5)!to!the!southwest.!!Views!extend!all!the!way!east!to!Tanner!and!Curley!peaks,!on!the!eastern!side!of!the!Grape!Creek!WSA,!as!seen!in!Waypoint!3.!!Wild!Connections!concurs!with!the!BLM’s!assessment!that!Susie’s!Ridge!has!supplemental!values.!!

!The!BLM!did!not!provide!photo!point!or!geoQreferenced!data!nor!any!description!of!human!impacts,!other!than!those!impacts!directly!on!the!WIRs.!!Due!to!the!large!size!of!the!unit!(2,831!acres),!Wild!Connections!does!not!believe!that!the!BLM’s!data!is!representative!of!the!unit!as!a!whole.!!Wild!Connections!deduces!that!at!least!portions!of!the!unit!shows!wilderness!characteristics.!!Until!the!BLM!provides!the!appropriate!documentation!of!unnaturalness!in!the!unit,!then!entire!Susie’s!Ridge!unit,!excluding!a!small!cherryQstemmed!acreage,!is!proposed!as!LWCs.!!!

!!!

!&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&Grape&Creek&(6)&[&N&&&&&&&&&&!

!!!!Remains!of!a!historical!log!cabin!in!the!Susie’s!Ridge!!!!!!!!!!!!! ! ! !!!unit!(p.!19)!!

!

! 20!

Pine!Gulch!unit!(COFQ020Q024)!The!BLM!determined!that!the!Pine!Gulch!(COFQ020Q24)!unit!did!not!have!wilderness!characteristics,!due!to!significant!imprints!of!motorized!use.!!The!aerial!photograph!may!support!the!assertion!that!motorized!use!is!occurring!in!the!unit.!!The!photograph!may!further!indicate!that!motorized!use!is!extending!into!the!WSA!from!private!land!north!of!the!Pine!Gulch!unit.!!Overall,!the!unit!appears!to!be!densely!forested,!except!for!a!broad!wash!containing!the!route.!!A!spring!is!documented!on!the!map!just!north!of!the!unit,!and!that!spring!may!provide!an!important!water!source!for!wildlife.!!The!BLM!did!not!provide!any!photographic!evidence!of!the!“significant!imprints!of!man”,!nor!of!the!multiple!routes!that!were!reportedly!found!in!the!unit.!!The!route!COQ020Q024QA,!which!was!identified!by!the!BLM!as!not!continuously!used,!is!likely!screened!from!view!in!most!of!the!unit!by!vegetation.!!The!unit!is!not!publicly!accessible,!except!through!the!contiguous!WSA,!so!Wild!Connections!has!not!been!able!to!perform!an!independent!inventory.!!Given!the!lack!of!documentation!to!the!contrary,!Wild!Connections!believes!that!the!Pine!Gulch!unit!shares!the!same!natural!characteristics!as!the!contiguous!WSA.!!Wild!Connections!respectfully!requests!more!information!in!order!to!determine!whether!motorized!travel!is!affecting!naturalness!in!the!unit!and/or!occurring!in!the!WSA.!!The!BLM!did!not!provide!photo!point!or!geoQreferenced!data!of!the!impacts!referenced!in!their!report.!!Wild!Connections!deduces!that!at!least!portions!of!the!unit!contain!wilderness!characteristics.!!Until!the!BLM!provides!the!appropriate!documentation!of!where!the!"the!significant!imprints!of!man"!are,!then!the!entire!Pine!Gulch!unit!is!proposed!for!LWCs.!

!BH$Subdivision$unit$(COF1020126)$$

The!BLM!report!for!the!BH!Subdivision!(COFQ020Q26)!indicates!that!ways!other!than!WIR!COFQ020Q026QA!exist!in!the!unit,!and!that!“significant!visual!impacts”!reduce!the!natural!appearance!of!the!unit.!!The!report!mentions!a!structure!near!the!north!boundary,!and!an!area!of!timbering!in!the!northwest.!!There!is!no!description!of!the!age!or!continuous!use!of!these!human!impacts,!nor!whether!they!might!be!evidence!of!historical!uses!in!the!unit.!!The!BLM!did!not!provide!photo!point!or!geoQreferenced!data!of!the!impacts!referenced!in!their!report.!!Because!the!area!is!bound!by!private!property,!and!inaccessible!to!the!public!except!through!the!contiguous!WSA,!Wild!Connections!has!not!been!able!to!perform!an!independent!inventory!in!this!unit.!!The!BLM!report!describes!a!rocky!ridge!at!the!center!of!the!unit,!with!ponderosa!and!pinyonQjuniper!woodlands.!!Wild!Connections!deduces!from!this!description!that!at!least!portions!of!the!unit!contain!wilderness!characteristics.!!Until!the!BLM!provides!the!appropriate!documentation!of!where!the!"the!significant!imprints!of!man"!are,!then!the!portion!of!the!BH!Subdivision!west!of!the!WIR!is!proposed!for!LWCs.!

!Hellgateway$North$unit$(COF1020128)$$

The!Hellgateway!North!unit!(COFQ020Q28)!has!some!impacts!to!naturalness,!as!documented!in!the!BLM!report.!!These!impacts!include!OHV!use!and!evidence!of!mining.!!According!to!the!photo!point!data,!these!impacts!are!limited!to!the!southwest!corner!of!the!unit.!!Note!that!two!of!the!BLM’s!photopoints!that!document!an!ATV!route!actually!lie!outside!the!unit!on!private!property.!!The!Hellgateway!North!unit!does!have!considerable!supplemental!values.!!The!unit!is!part!of!the!CNHP!Grape!Creek!PCA.!!It!contains!winter!range!for!mule!deer!and!elk,!and!is!within!the!Grape!Creek!ACEC.!!Historic!mining!activity!was!observed!by!the!BLM.!!Wild!Connections!deduces!from!this!information!that!at!least!portions!of!the!unit!contain!wilderness!characteristics.!!With!its!

!

! 21!

proximity!to!Bear!Gulch,!this!unit!provides!additional!public!access!to!the!WSA.!!Until!the!BLM!provides!the!appropriate!documentation!of!where!the!"the!imprints!of!man"!are,!then!the!entire!portion!of!the!Hellgateway!North!of!the!WIR!is!proposed!for!LWCs.!

!Horseshoe1Mt.$Adamic$2$unit$(COF1020131)$$

The!Horseshoe!Mt.!Adamic!2!unit!(COFQ020Q31)!was!not!found!to!be!natural!by!the!BLM.!!However,!the!BLM!did!not!provide!any!photo!point!or!geoQreferenced!data!that!documents!a!lack!of!naturalness,!even!though!the!report!refers!to!an!“intensive!inventory.”!!The!vehicle!traffic!is!described!as!“occasional.”!!The!BLM!describes!hills!with!rough!and!rocky!terrain,!which!could!provide!topographic!screening!within!the!unit.!!Because!the!area!is!bound!by!private!property,!and!inaccessible!to!the!public!except!through!the!contiguous!WSA,!Wild!Connections!has!not!been!able!to!perform!an!independent!inventory!in!this!unit.!!Wild!Connections!deduces!that!at!least!portions!of!the!unit!contain!wilderness!characteristics.!!The!unit!is!known!to!have!supplemental!wildlife!values!such!as!elk!winter!range!and!mule!deer!severe!winter!range.!!Until!the!BLM!provides!the!appropriate!documentation!of!where!the!"the!noticeable!imprints!of!man"!exist!in!the!unit,!then!the!entirety!of!the!Horseshoe!MtQAdamic!2!unit!is!proposed!for!LWCs.!

!!

Contiguous&Unit&without&LWCs&&The!unit!in!this!section!has!been!determined!by!the!BLM!not!to!qualify!for!LWC!due!to!the!lack!of!naturalness.!!This!unit!is!not!included!in!Wild!Connections’!Grape!Creek!WSA!Contiguous!Units!proposed!LWC,!but!is!included!in!the!report!for!completeness.!!

Hellgateway$South$unit$(COF1020127)$$The!Hellgateway!South!unit!(COFQ020Q27)!borders!the!Upper!Grape!Creek!WSA!on!the!unit’s!western!boundary.!!The!west,!east,!and!south!edges!are!entirely!bound!by!private!property.!!!!No!WIRs!were!identified!within!the!unit.!!The!report!lists!four!routes!(COQ020Q027QA!through!D),!used!for!recreational!access!in!the!eastern!portion!of!the!unit.!!The!BLM!reports!evidence!of!mechanical!construction,!and!continuous!use!(multiple!times!per!day).!!Maintenance,!improvements,!vehicle!and!ATV!use!were!also!observed.!!Photo!point!data!shows!travel!throughout!the!eastern!half!of!the!unit.!!Because!the!area!is!bound!by!private!property,!and!inaccessible!to!the!public!except!through!the!contiguous!WSA,!Wild!Connections!has!not!been!able!to!perform!an!independent!inventory!in!this!unit.!!The!BLM!documented!substantial!manQmade!features!and!disturbances!on!the!eastern!half!of!the!Hellgateway!South!unit.!!The!unit!is!used!for!ATV!recreation!and!contains!a!shooting!range.!!A!large!pile!of!garbage!and!several!mining!sites!were!documented.!!Photo!points!demonstrating!some!of!these!impacts!were!included!in!the!report.!!Audible!and!visual!disturbances!from!ATVs!were!observed!by!the!BLM!during!the!field!visit.!!These!unnatural!disturbances!are!not!compatible!with!wilderness!characteristics.!!Due!to!the!small!size!of!the!unit!(133!acres),!the!audible!disturbances!are!likely!to!be!significant!throughout!the!unit.!!!!!

!

! 22!

While!the!Hellgateway!South!unit!COFQ020Q27!does!meet!the!size!exception!for!LWCs,!Wild!Connections!concurs!with!the!BLM!assessment!that!unit!lacks!the!required!naturalness!for!LWC.!!

Summary&and&Conclusion&!Based!on!Wild!Connections'!analysis!and!inventories,!the!Grape!Creek!WSA!Contiguous!Units!proposed!LWC!qualifies!as!Land!with!Wilderness!Characteristics!(LWC)!in!accordance!with!BLM's!Manual!6310.!!These!sixteen!units!are!contiguous!to!BLM’s!Lower!or!Upper!Grape!Creek!WSAs,!comprising!over!8,100!contiguous!roadless!acres,!which!extends!the!overall!Grape!Creek!wilderness!core!area.!!Given!the!contiguity!of!the!units,!lack!of!significant!human!impacts,!diverse!topography,!rich!biodiverse!ecosystems,!and!abundant!wildlife,!the!Grape!Creek!WSA!Contiguous!Units!proposed!LWC!offers!outstanding!wilderness!characteristics!Q!including!apparent!naturalness!and!outstanding!opportunities!for!solitude!and!primitive!and!unconfined!recreation.!!The!boundaries!and!wilderness!characteristics!identified!by!the!BLM!generally!support!with!Wild!Connection’s!analysis!of!the!wilderness!qualities!of!the!units.!!Wild!Connections!has!documented!the!necessary!boundaries!as!well!as!the!wilderness!characteristics!within!the!unit.!!This!overview!provides!new!information,!including!narrative,!photo,!and!geo!data,!and!supporting!maps,!documenting!that!the!approximately!8,100!acre!Grape!Creek!WSA!Contiguous!Units!proposed!LWC!meets!wilderness!criteria.!!These!units!possess!Lands!with!Wilderness!Characteristic!status!and!its!wilderness!values!should!be!protected!and!preserved.!!It!is!imperative!that!the!BLM!recognize!and!protect!these!values!in!their!land!management!decisions,!so!that!these!unique!and!abundant!wilderness!qualities!are!sustained.!

!

Waypoints&in&the&Grape&Creek&WSA&Contiguous&Units&proposed&LWC&!

The!following!photographs!correspond!with!the!numbered!Waypoints!on!Wild!Connections’!Grape!Creek!WSA!Contiguous!Units!map.!!The!photopoints!may!be!referred!to!in!the!report!narrative!describing!the!wilderness!characteristics.!!The!direction!of!view!(16!point!Cardinal)!is!indicated!in!the!bolded!caption.!!Below!this!is!a!short!description!of!the!photo,!with!the!referenced!page!number(s)!in!parenthesis.!!The!photos!are!also!watermarked!with!the!direction!(degrees!and!cardinal)!in!the!top!right,!date!and!time!in!the!bottom!right,!elevation!in!the!bottom!center,!and!the!latitude!and!longitude!in!the!bottom!left.!!

!!!

!

& &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&Grape&Creek&(1)&[&N&&&&&&&&&&&&&Dense!vegetation!in!roadless!Grape!Creek!WSA,!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!north!of!Goat!Park!unit!(p.10!)!

&&&

&&&&&&&&&&&&& &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&Grape&Creek&(2)&[&SE&&&&&&&&&&&&&!

!!!!!No!public!access!to!the!War!Dance!Mine!unit;!!!!!!!private!route!from!Cooper!Gulch!Road!(p.!10)!

!

!

Page!24!of!25!!

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!!

!&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&Grape&Creek&(4)&[&ESE&&&&&&&&&&&&&!

Outstanding!opportunity!for!sightseeing:!Crestone!View!!!!!of!the!Sangre!de!Cristo!Mountain!Range!from!Susie’s!!

!!!!!!!!!!!Ridge!(p.!11,19)!!

!&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&Grape&Creek&(3)&[&ESE&&&&&&&&&&!!View!of!Tanner!and!Curly!Peaks!from!near!Susie’s!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Ridge!in!the!Susie’s!Ridge!unit!(p.!19)!!

!&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&Grape&Creek&(5)&[&WSW&&&&&&&&&&!

!!!!Scenic!view!of!the!Sangre!de!Cristo!Mountain!Range!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!from!the!Susie’s!Ridge!unit!(p.!19)!!

!&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&Grape&Creek&(6)&[&N&&&&&&&&&&!

!!!!Remains!of!a!historical!log!cabin!in!the!Susie’s!Ridge!!!!!!!!!!!!! ! ! !!!unit!(p.!19)!!

!

Page!25!of!25!!

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!&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&Grape&Creek&(7)&[&NW&&&&&&&&&&!

!!Ineffective!route!closure!to!the!Grape!Creek!WSA!from!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!the!West!Pierce!Gulch!unit!(p.!11)!!