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<br />"', ~; ~ <br /> <br />0002n <br /> <br />9 <br /> <br />SUMMARY OF THE <br />PRELIMINARY WILDERNESS PROPOSAL <br /> <br />THE NATIONAL MONUMENT <br /> <br />Location <br />Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Monument is located in <br />Montrose County in the southwest quarter of Colorado on the <br />western slope of the Rocky Mountains. It has a mutual boundary <br />with Curecanti National Recreation Area where the Gunnison River <br />and its canyon enter the eastern boundary of the monument. It <br />lies approximately 160 airline miles southwest of Denver. U.S. <br />Highway 50 passes within 6 miles of the south entrance of the <br />monument. State Highway 347, which leaves U.S. 50,8 miles east <br />of Montrose, Colorado, comprises the approach to the South Rim <br />area. The North Rim of the area is approached by 11 miles of <br />graded, unpaved county road leading off from State Highway 92 <br />just south of Crawford, Colorado. <br /> <br />Surroundings <br />The monument lies in the canyon and the adjacent bench lands of <br />the Black Canyon of the Gunnison, which is located in the Upper <br />Colorado River Basin and drainage. The northern section of the <br />monument is bounded primarily by privately owned land, with the <br />exception of four parcels of public domain land. The southern <br />section is bounded about equally by Federal and privately owned <br />land. The Federal land is mostly public domain, with Curecanti <br />National Recreation Area bounding the remaining portion. The <br />country within the immediate vicinity of the monument provides <br />limited grazing and hunting in season. Beyond this area lies the <br />Uncompahgre River Valley and the Fruitland Mesa, where the <br />principal land uses are farming, ranching, hunting, and fishing. <br /> <br />Resou rces <br />Precipitously forbidding, Black Canyon of the Gunnison is one of <br />the world's great wild canyons. Twelve miles of the most <br />spectacular portion of this canyon lie within the monument. The <br />monolithic rock walls rise severely 2000 feet or more above the <br />Gunnison River, which roars through the canyon depths, its sound <br />carried to viewers standing on the rim. <br /> <br />The starkness of the canyon walls is emphasized by the abundant <br />vegetation on the rim. Although most of the monument is <br />characterized by a cover of mountain brush, especially Gambel oak <br />and serviceberry, there are several well-developed stands of <br />