WSP11312

• File Number: 7630.275
• Description: Wild and Scenic-Flat Tops Wilderness Area
• State: CO
• Date: 1/1/3000
• Author: USFS
• Title: Flat Tops Wilderness Area-A Proposal Flat Tops Wilderness-White River and Routt National Forests-Colorado
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

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nually. Hccreation stock deri\'c~ 200 hon..c+monlhs of grazing. An c~timatcd 6.000 elk
and 2.500 deer also use the 1-1at Tops for summer grazing. There ha~ been no conflict
between the forage requirements of big game and domestic livestock. except in local-
ized areas.

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Wildlife includes dk. mule deN. and black bear for big game. Some bighurn sheep
may also be encountered. Small game consbb of blue grouse, ruffed grouse, white-
tailed ptarmigan, and snowshoe rabbits. f<urbearers indude Bobcat, coyote. badger.
fox. bea\'er. marten. mink, and weasel. Other nath'c mammals include squirrels.
gophers. and porcupines. Birds include migratory waterfowl. eagles. hawks. crows,
ravens, jays, and numerous ....maller birds.

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Trappe" lo~e

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Fishing is excellent. Within the art'a. 30 or more lake~. with over 1,4()() surface
acres of water. contain game fish available to rccreationists. A.bout half of approxi-
mately 100 miles of fishing streams are ruted g:ood to excellent. Game spedes include
rainbow, native cutthroat. Ea~tern brook. and mackinaw trout.

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No Mining or mineralized zones of conl'equence exist within the proposed Wilder-
ness. There arc no mineral patents or known unpatented mineral c1aim~. Potential for
gas and oil production appears to be slight.

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Recreation under wilderness management will be an increasing use of thb area. The
4.:300 n'creation vbits in 1964 WL'rc 1,5 per('(mt greater than for 196:3 and 57 percent
greater than for 1 ~H)O.

Wilderness management will maintain opportunities for primitive and undeveloped
types (If recreation and have very little effect on wildlife. minerals. timber. and forage.
\\'ater quantity and quality will not be affected. but opportunities for installation of
water-use structure.... will be minimized. There will be no eff('ct on the phy:-:.ical charac-
teristics of the land.
Two packer stations and a fishery building now within the area will be removed to
rt'storl:' the area to a primith'e condition. '111(.>re are no man. made water swrage or
diversion structures in the area.

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