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<br />0011887
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<br />SAN JUAN PRIMITIVE AREA
<br />SAN JUAN NATIONAL FOREST
<br />UPPER RIO GRANDE PRIMITIVE AREA
<br />RIO GRANDE NATIONAL FOREST
<br />
<br />The San Juan and Upper Rio Grande Primitive Areas together form the largest unit of
<br />National Forest land in Colorado administered for wilderness purposes, Extending from
<br />Sheep Mountain near Wolf Creek Pass on the Continental Divide westward some 40 air miles
<br />to the Animas River, the contiguous Primitive Areas join on the crest of the spectacular San
<br />Juan Mountains. Within the 227,399 acre San Juan Primitive Area are 743 acres of private
<br />land, but the 58,014 acre Upper Rio Grande Primitive Area contains no private inholdings,
<br />
<br />The Upper Rio Grande was the first of the two Primitive Areas to be established under
<br />Regulation L-20, Recommended by Rio Grande National Forest Supervisor R, E, Clark on
<br />November 22, 1930, the report was revised on January 25, 1932, and approved on February
<br />15, 1932, by Allen S, Peck, Regional Forester. Chief of the Forest Service R. y, Stuart
<br />subsequently approved the report and management plan on March 5, 1932, The size was
<br />calcu lated at that time to be 56,600 acres based on "Jay Higgens' survey of 1929." All of
<br />the Primitive Area was within the Rio Grande drainage, with the southern boundary formed
<br />by the Continental Divide or crest of the San Juan Mountains,
<br />
<br />The San Juan National Forest proposed the San Juan Prim itive Area for the southern slopes
<br />of the San Juan Mountains early in 1927. The staff committee established in the Regional
<br />Office to review such proposals indicated approval, ". , ,but at the same time felt it might
<br />well be extended to cover a good deal more territory:' according to E, W, Tinker, then
<br />Assistant District (Regional) Forester, On December 13, 1929, Forest Supervisor Andrew
<br />Hutton submitted another proposal, revised it on March 18, 1932, and it was approved by
<br />Allen S, Peck, Regional Forester, on March 28, 1932, This report and management plan
<br />were subsequently approved by Forest Service Chief R. y, Stuart on October 1, 1932,
<br />establishing a 240,000 acre Primitive Area with 1,920 acres of private land included,
<br />
<br />Describing the San Juan proposal, Supervisor Hutton said, "There are numerous reasons
<br />why this particular area should be designated and administered as a 'primitive area.'
<br />Primarily, the area is a wilderness, untouched by man except for the construction of the
<br />barest necessities in the way of protective and administration improvements, Its Forests are
<br />virgin and unmarred except by fire, For natural beauty of the grand and rugged mountain
<br />type, it cannot be excelled, The area can be reached and traversed only by trail and pack
<br />outfit." Hutton's words are remarkably similar to language incorporated in the Wilderness
<br />Act over thirty years later, and his grasp of the need for active management and proper
<br />coordination with other needs and activities of society were demonstrated by his statement,
<br />"It has all the essentials of a wilderness, , ,and should retain under proper administration all
<br />these requisites.. .that modern civilization, , ,will permit."
<br />
<br />Writing about the upper Rio Grande Primitive Area on the other side of the San Juan
<br />Mountains, Forest Supervisor R, E, Clark said his area, ". , ,presents all the environmental
<br />features which would make its classification, , ,possible and desirable, ' ,virgin and as near
<br />original primitive conditions as may be found any place within Colorado:' and ", , ,there is
<br />every reason to believe that a similar form of environment may be rnaintained without
<br />detrimental reaction upon the economic conditions of this locality."
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