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<br />b. Size and Shape of the Area. <br /> <br />The Sangre de Cristo WSA contains 217,972 acres <br />and is long and relatively narrow. The Bureau <br />of Land Management lands occur as separate <br />tracts adjacent to the western boundary. The <br />boundary of the area is determined by roads and <br />non-conforming uses in most places rather than <br />by topographic features. <br /> <br />Three portions of the WSA on the eastern slope <br />south of Medano Pass occur as islands <br />topographically isolated from the remainder of <br />the WSA. These portions would be difficult to <br />manage as an enduring wilderness resource due <br />to the small size (less than 5,000 acres) and <br />isolation. There are also several portions of <br />the WSA adjacent to the western boundary where <br />management to maintain the wilderness resource <br />would be difficult. These include areas in <br />Sand Creek, on Milwaukee Hill, and in Wild <br />Cherry Creek. Also, on the western slope, there <br />are three peninsulas which project from the <br />main body of the WSA. These occur in the <br />vicinity of Major Creek, Garner Creek, and <br />Hayden Pass Creek. <br /> <br />The Bureau of Land Management land, in the <br />Black Canyon tract south of Black Canyon, would <br />be difficult to manage as wilderness because of <br />the private (patented) inholdings, access to <br />the inholding, and the overall pattern of the <br />land, a long narrow isolated strip. In <br />addition, a 10 acre portion of the South Piney <br />Unit contains an existing way (non-maintained <br />route) . <br /> <br />c. Location Relative to External Influences. <br /> <br />The three segments on the San Isabel side of <br />the Sangre de Cristo Range south of Medano Pass <br />are very susceptible to significant external <br />influences because of their isolation from the <br />main body of the WSA and the potential <br />management activities on adjoining state and <br />private lands. <br /> <br />91 <br /> <br />" ('I)',.. 0 <br />l. '..'.. I l.; <br />