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<br />000255 <br /> <br />canyon and rim country is an important part of the scene. Plant <br />communities are readily discernible to the visitor, and the story of <br />ecological interrelationships is of great interest. Underlying the <br />scenery is the geological story that explains how the canyon came <br />into being. It is a textbook example of the type of stream-cut <br />canyon known as "superimposed drainage." Also, the story is <br />inextricably 'tied to the theme of how the canyon was sculptured. <br /> <br />The upper and distinctly precipitous reaches of the canyon can be <br />seen from numerous viewpoints along both rims. However, access <br />to the canyon floor is limited. Once entry into the canyon has <br />been gained from either the primitive trail leading down from <br />Gunnison Point or from East Portal, access along the river is <br />prevented by recurring vertical dikes that extend up and from <br />the river itself. The river as it passes through the monument can be <br />traversed by foot and small rubber rafts. Numerous crossings, and <br />repeated portages and lining are required. A third point of access <br />exists in the westerly portion of the monument, via Red Rock <br />canyon. At present, it is necessary to cross private land to reach <br />this access, but proposed boundary modifications could alleviate <br />this situation. <br /> <br />Preliminary Wilderness Proposal <br />It is proposed that approximately 9600 acres within the Black <br />Canyon of the Gunnison National Monument be recommended for <br />wilderness designation. Essentially, the wilderness is the canyon, <br />with the rim forming the outer limits. In the westerly and wider <br />portion of the monument, the wilderness line has been expanded <br />beyond the canyon rim. Consequently, several benches of land <br />outside the canyon proper are encompassed in this proposal. <br /> <br />~ <br /> <br />On the north, west, and southwest, the proposed wilderness <br />boundary is located l/B mile inside of and parallel to the <br />monument boundary. The management zones along the exterior <br />monument boundaries are considered the minimum necessary for <br />present and future management needs. <br /> <br />Two pnmltlve campgrounds on the riverbank are proposed, one at <br />Red Rock Canyon, and one below Gunnison Point. Shelters and <br /> <br />16 <br />