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OfJ27LJO 15 South San Juan Addition The South San Juan Wilderness is located east or Pagosa Springs, Colorado. The lands that would be added to this existing wilderness area by the bill as reported include the V-Rock and Montezuma Peak Wilderness Study Areas. This is one of the "wildest" areas in Colorado, a."1d not only attracts fishermen, back- packers, croBs-counb"y skiers, rock climbers, hunters, and horse- back riders, but also is DIime habitat for endangered species. The Colorado Division of Wildlife believes the area is suitable habitat for grizzly bears (and the last confirmed grizzly hear presence in Colorado occurred in the existing South San Juan Wilderness), as well as for wolverines and river otters. According to Forest Service data, less than nine percent of this area's acreage is suitable for timber harvesting, and no sales have been planned. The Committee understands that the Forest Service and the U.S. Geological Survey have noted the presence of oil, gas and minerals, but consider them too small and isolated to be mined. Spruce Creek The Spruce Creek area is surrounded by the existing Hunter- Fryingpan Wilderness Area, northeast of Aspen, and is appropriate for management as an addition to that wilderness. It was consid- ered for wilderness in 1980, but was not designated because of per- ceived conflicts with timber harvesting that have now been re- solved. The bill as reported includes provisions to make clear that that the addition of this area to wilderness win not interfere with continued operation of the Fryingpan-Arkansas project. St. Louis Peak ("Byers Peak Wilderness'') and Vasquez Peak These areas, in Grand County, Colorado, are a high, rugged, ex- panse of tundra and rock, mostly above treeline, that straddles the Continental Divide. Because of their proximity to Denver, they are an important recreational resource, attracting many visitors. Their forests provide little commercial timber. Some unpatented mining claims do exist within the areas, but no exploration activities have recently taken place. While the Vasquez Peak Wilderness Study Area (WSA) was recommended for wilderness, the Forest Service f~lt there were too many "external influences" to recommend such designation for the adjacent St. Louis Peaks area. However, the Committee has decided that both areas should be designated as wilderness. Weminuche and the West Needles These additions to the existing Weminuche Wilderness provide wilderness designation for lands on both sides of the Animas River (and the famous narrow-gauge railroad) from about 4 miles south of Silverton to the Teft Spur, just downstream from the mouth of Crazy Woman Gulch. This is some of the most spectacular moun- tainous country in Colorado. Some of these lands were originally omitted from National Forests status (remaining public lands man- aged by the Bureau of Land Management and its predecessor agen- cies) because of possible mineral significance, and, pursuant to sec~ tion 603 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 ("FLPMA"), the Needle Creek, West Needles contiguous, Whitehead