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<br />Campsites, within the proposed Wilderness, at Eaglesmere, Middle Cataract. Upper <br />Cataract, Slate. Upper Slate. Surprise, and Tipperary Lakes have primitive-type facilities, <br />ranging from a single garbage pit to a combination of corral, fireplaces. tables. toilet, <br />and hitching rack. Those structures not necessary for protection of the wilderness re- <br />source will be removed when the area is added to the Wilderness System. <br /> <br />Demands for winter sports, snowmobile, and trail scooter activities can be met, in the <br />foreseeable future, on National Forest lands outside the proposed area. All non-wilder- <br />ness activities which occur on National Forests would be available to some degree within <br />the area if it were not classified as Wilderness. There are no opportunities for activities <br />which do not exist on other forest lands within a reasonable distance of the proposed <br />Wilderness. <br /> <br />If the area were not classified as Wilderness. it would be possible to construct Inter- <br />state 70 through the South Willow and Main Gore Creek drainages at the southern end <br />of the proposal. This possibility was recognized specifically in Section 3. b. of the Wilder- <br />ness Act of September 3, 1964, which directed the Secretary of Agriculture to review <br />and determine the public interest in this matter. On May 17, 1968, Secretary of Agri- <br />culture Orville L. Freeman made the decision that the route for Interstate Highway 70 <br />via Red Buffalo Pass through the southern tip of the Primitive Area would not be in the <br />public interest since there was no showing that there were no other reasonable <br />alternatives. <br /> <br />It is our conclusion that the preservation of the proposed Wilderness will better <br />serve the public interest in the long run than the development of the small portion of <br />the area that would be available for motor-based recreation. <br /> <br />Wildlife <br /> <br />Elk, deer, Rocky Mountain goat. bighorn sheep. black bear, mountain lion, bobcat, <br />and coyote inhabit the area. The population of each of these species is low to moderate. <br />Elk and deer numbers are controlled by the critical winter range which is well outside of <br />the proposal. Mountain sheep and mountain goat numbers will be controlled by the <br />amount of available winter range inside the area. <br /> <br />The smaller mammals include snowshoe hare, pine squirrel, beaver, badger, marten, <br />weasel. mink, fox. skunk. porcupine, chipmunk. pika. marmot, and field mice. <br /> <br />Ptarmigan, blue grouse, golden eagle, and many species of songbirds are present. <br />There are reports of bald eagle in the vicinity of Eagles Nest Mountain. <br /> <br />Thirty-five lakes, including the Cataracts. Eaglesmere. Mirror. Ruby, Salmon, the <br />Slates, Surprise, Tipperary, and the Willows provide brook, native, and rainbow trout <br />from pan-size to over 14 inches in length. Approximately 25 miles of rivers and streams <br />are included. FIshing is rated as fair to good. (See Tables 2 and 3, Appendix C). <br /> <br />If the area were not classir~ as Wilderness, the productive capacity of fishing lakes <br />and streams and hunting areas could be slightly increased through habitat improvement <br />work. <br /> <br />9 <br /> <br />1350 <br />