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<br />000893
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<br />GORE RANGE-EAGLES NEST PRIMITIVE AREA
<br />White River and Arapaho Natiorial Forests
<br />
<br />Named for the spectacular Central Colorado mountain range and one of its principal peaks,
<br />the Gore Range-Eagles Nest Primitive Area is perhaps the most rugged, acre for acre, in the
<br />state, Originally established as two separate but contiguous Primitive Areas, one on each side
<br />of the Range, it is now a single unit under consideration by Congress for addition to the
<br />National Wilderness Preservation System,
<br />
<br />The Blue River side of the Gore Range, included in the Arapaho National Forest, was the
<br />first portion to be classified as a Primitive Area under Regulation L-20, Forest Supervisor J,
<br />V, Leighou submitted the report and management plan, recommending the 32,400 acre
<br />Primitive Area on May 20, 1930, It was approved on May 12, 1932, by Regional Forester
<br />Allen S, Peck, and by Forest Service Chief R, y, Stuart on June 19, 1932,
<br />
<br />Harold L. Borden, Supervisor of the Holy Cross National Forest, now part of the White
<br />River National Forest, prepared a similar plan for the other side of the Range on April 27,
<br />1932, Revised on December 28,1932, and approved by Regional Forester Peck on February
<br />16,1933, some 47,300 acres on the Holy Cross were designated as Primitive Area by Chief
<br />Forester Stuart on February 28, 1933, This brought the total acreage of the contiguous
<br />Primitive Areas in the two National Forests to 79,700 acres,
<br />
<br />Considered to be one of the more inaccessible mountain ranges in Colorado, the lack of
<br />knowledge, good maps, and trails was stressed in both Management Plans,
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<br />"Travel is impossible, except on foot or with saddle and pack outfit and, with the exception
<br />of one trail traversing Black Gore, the country is accessible only by dim routes made
<br />possible for mule travel by the sheep permittees who graze their flocks on the scattering
<br />parks and narrow valleys which support a luxuriant vegetation, ,.it is a sea of peaks,
<br />interspersed with steep, rugged canyons and precipitous slopes, . .," according to Supervisor
<br />Borden's plan, Supervisor Leighou used language not quite so expansive, but nevertheless
<br />descriptive: "Much of it is unexplored, There are no roads, , . , A few very rudimentary
<br />trails lead into portions of it, . . , The area is practically unused,"
<br />
<br />The Arapaho side was grazed each summer by about 50 head of cattle under Forest Service
<br />permit, The Holy Cross reported no cattle using their portion, but some 3500 head of sheep
<br />were under permit, Both Forests noted that timber stands of commercial quality were
<br />present, and provided in their Management Plans for tt\e future cutting of timber if the need
<br />and demand for the product should arise, Temporary roads would be permitted for the
<br />removal of the timber or to develop mining properties in accordance with the general
<br />provisions of L-20, Commercial uses, resorts and summer homes would not be permitted,
<br />and the Forest Service would install no facilities other than those needed for "sanitation and
<br />fire protection,"
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