Laserfiche WebLink
<br />O(j07iJ4 <br /> <br />"1, <br /> <br />Hoffman noted that during the summer of 1931, the Colorado and Appalachian Mountain <br />Clubs spent two weeks in the Wilsons on a climbing and hiking trip, and said the region was <br />proposed for Primitive Area status because, ". . .it has a combination of natural and scenic <br />values, consisting of virgin forest, rugged mountains, rushing streams, and lakes. . . . This <br />designation will prevent the impairment of those values. . . ." <br /> <br />The management plan for the Wilson Mountains Primitive Area provided for grazing of <br />sheep under Forest Service permit to continue, as did the Uncompahgre plan. Timber <br />harvest would be permitted under special guidelines if a need developed, but Uncompahgre <br />Supervisor Veeder felt the rugged country would render logging "simply impractical." <br />Continuing prospecting with "a remote chance" of good discovery was reported by <br />Hoffman for the Wilsons. <br /> <br />With the advent of the "jeep" after World War II, parts of the Primitive Areas were <br />penetrated as the old mining and wagon roads became routes for four-wheel-drive vehicles. <br />The Forest Service has evaluated various actions through the years for the Uncompahgre, <br />including elimination of the Primitive Area status, in order to accommodate a wide range of <br />public desires and the changing situation regarding mineral exploration and development. <br /> <br />Recently, the Wilson Mountains and Uncompahgre Primitive Areas and the contiguous <br />National Forest lands were reviewed and a series of public workshops, followed by a formal <br />hearing, were held. From this, the Forest Service will submit a proposal, as required by the <br />1964 Wilderness Act, for consideration by Congress. The ultimate decision on the key values <br />of this scenic and spectacular region, and the pattern of land use to prevent their <br />impairment, will be made by the Congress. <br />