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habituate to certain disturbances and may return tol habitats after one or more of the disturbance factors has subsided I or stopped; 5) Many species of anilrals prefer habitats that have I been disturbed and are in an earlier succession stage of developrneht; and 6) Same species react to the same disturbance differently flrom one year to the next for no explainable reason. consequent1v, there is no reliably absolute way to assess how disturbance I and harasanent will affect these wild populations. ! The disturbance and harassment factors that will dccur under this alternative will be very disruptive and long lasdng. The number of people, vehicles and activities will occur qn a year-round basis and will be quite concentrated on a per ac~e basis. It is anticipated that a large portion of this private Iland tract will receive very little big game use and that the u~e by many other species will be greatly diminished because of :the disturbance harassment factors. However, this alternative dots not allow any ski area develo~nt on National Forest lands.' Consequently, there is a much smaller area that would be di'sturbed than in either Alternatives Two or Three; and there 'would be fewer harassment activities occurring on the mountain.' The degree of disturbance would be very high in the valley; but it would be concentrated in the valley. i I Calving and fawning would very likely be affected I in areas A and C (Map 20, Chapter III) by harassment activities \>n private land. Same use of these habitats may occur if access t than is not cut off; but the additional stress factors placed on the female and young may lower the OITerall reproduction rate. : , Spring migration in areas B, D and F (Map 20) ~s expected to be altered. The amount and degree of effect :is difficult to determine. Depending upon the amount of distur~ce and how the anilra1s react to it, it is uncertain whether thel elk 'may continue on their traditional routes or (a) more animals I may go up Turkey Creek, (b) animals may divert to the east <lnd go lup Coal Creek and Mill Creek and then on OITer into Sand Creek" (c) more animals may utili:l:e route F or, (d) any combination of ~ny or all of the above may occur. The actual effect upon springi migration of elk may also be determined by what kind and cuoount of developnent occurs on private lands along the highway c~rridor to Pagosa Springs. If more animals utili:l:e route F there iwould probably be more cow elk utilizing the calving habitat at; map site E (Map 20). I I It is anticipated that this alternative would a~tract fewer people and vehicles than Alternatives Two or Three, aOd therefore there would be a smaller degree of effect upon the migration routes for elk and the cuoount of road kills. 204