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<br />" 'r'),:,-:>q <br />'.... . - -- -." <br /> <br />The boundary here is one which could not be established on natural feature lines <br />because of the intervening ridges running parallel to the main stream. It was, there- <br />fore, established on a compass bearing from the prominent escarpment point between <br />Marvine Creek and East Marvine Creek to an intersection of two forks of East Mar- <br />vine Creek, thence on a compass bearing to the main rim again. <br /> <br />Area L, Big Fish Creek, 4,305 acres. Big Fish Creek basin contains an area of tim- <br />ber and stringer parks which have remained essentially wild except for occasional <br />scooter travel. It also has two major lakes and several miles of stream which afford <br />good fishing. It would provide a short-trip wilderness experience in addition to being <br />one of the main trail accesses to the Fiat Tops proper. Scooter use can be controlled. <br />The proposed boundary would follow a well-defined ridge, from a point on the main <br />rim which is northwest of Big Fish Lake, easterly across Big Fish Creek and up a ridge <br />to the end of the knife-edge escarpment which separates Big Fish Creek from Trappers <br />Lake, thence south along this knife edge to a rim point of Trappers Lake I I4 miles. <br /> <br />Area M, Trappers Lake, 1,638 acres. The principle attraction and wilderness value <br />of this addition is the 313-acre lake and the scenic escarpment surrounding the basin <br />in which the lake is located. Trappers Lake is the second largest natural lake in Colo- <br />rado and the largest that is still in a primitive environment. Three separate trails that <br />provide access to the top of the Flat Tops will be protected by this addition. The lake <br />provides the largest native cutthroat trout fishery in the State. Trappers Lake and its <br />amphitheatre are generally credited with a share in the birth of the wilderness concept. <br />The boundary will leave the present Primitive Area boundary at a point on the rim, <br />I I4 miles west of Trappers Lake and follow a natural ridge easterly to a point 500 feet <br />from the lake. From this point the boundary will be 500 feet from the lakeshore and <br />run northeasterly and southeasterly around the lake to a point on the natural ridge <br />which is the drainage divide north of the stream from Little Trappers Lake. It will then <br />ascend this ridge easterly to the top of the Chinese Wall. <br /> <br />Areas Not Recommended for Wilderness <br /> <br />Area G-I, 10,716 acres. This area was included in the Forest Service preliminary <br />proposal. The statements of the Governor of Colorado, the Bureau of Reclamation, and <br />a number of individuals and organizations, requested that it not be included because of <br />the need to develop the area's water resources. This water would be used for power, <br />irrigation, and to develop the potential oil shale industry in Piceance Creek Basin to <br />the east. Water rights have been adjudicated in the State courts for the water. <br />In addition to the water considerations, the area contains 195 acres of patented <br />land in two tracts. Some of this land is developed with buildings and structures. There <br />are two special-use cabins in the area. The Forest Service again reviewed the area <br />in light of this testimony and concluded that it should not be included in the Wilder- <br />ness. <br />A number of those commenting at the hearing recommended that the Wilderness <br />should contain Area N to T shown on map B on page 14. These areas were not in- <br />cluded in the preliminary Forest Service proposal. <br /> <br />Area N 23,560 acres. Mirror Creek and Paradise Creek were studied but not con- <br />sidered suitable for inclusion. There are no access routes from them to the Primitive <br />Area. They contain large areas of commercial timber lands and can be made acces- <br /> <br />21 <br />