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<br />Onfi7J2 <br /> <br />January 1990 <br /> <br />BUFFALO PEAKS <br /> <br />ACREAGE: 56,900 acres in the Wilderness study Area <br /> <br />DESIGNATION RECOMMENDATIONS: <br />FOREST SERVICE ARMSTRONG <br />36,000 29,400 <br /> <br />WIRTH <br />58,160 <br /> <br />FOREST: San Isabel <br /> <br />COUNTY: Chafee, Lake and Park <br />Chafee County <br />Land Area Public Land Forest Service <br />sq. miles % of total land % <br />1,008 79% 71% <br />Lake County <br />Land Area Public Land Forest service <br />sq. miles % of total land % <br /> 379 75% 68% <br />Park County <br />Land Area Public Land Forest Service <br />sq. miles % of total land % <br />2,192 51% 47% <br /> <br />LOCATION: In the center of the state, on the continental Divide <br />about 80 miles southwest of Denver and 10 miles southeast of <br />Leadville. Elevations range from between 9,200 and 13,236 feet. <br /> <br />\ <br /> <br />RECOMMENDATION: The proposed boundary generally follows the Forest <br />Service recommendation with a few modifications to avoid existing <br />mining claims, water developments, private property and a Forest <br />Service repeater station. The area is also expanded on the north <br />and east sides to achieve a more manageable boundary while <br />avoiding infringement of private rights and mineral interests. The <br />southern boundary also excludes a portion of the study area south <br />of West Buffalo Peak which contains a large number of mining <br />claims. The proposed southwestern boundary also excludes a small <br />portion of the study area to avoid conflict with the Homestake <br />pipeline, proposed tunnel and a large number of mining claims. <br />Extending the wilderness boundary to include Marmot Peak is <br />unrealistic because of the large number of mining claims, <br />inholdings and the need for wildlife habitat management for big <br />horn sheep and elk. <br /> <br />GENERAL FEATURES: The WSA contains heavily timbered mountain slopes <br />as well as alpine tundra. It is located along the northwest <br />southeast-trending Mosquito Range between the Arkansas and the <br />South Platte Rivers. The Buffalo Peaks are two highly eroded <br />volcanic intrusions of lava and ash that have partially buried the <br />Mosquito Range formation. <br /> <br />SPECIAL FEATURES: <br />Buffalo Peaks with <br />Buffalo Meadows. <br /> <br />The dominant features are the East and West <br />elevations of 13,300 and 13,326, and the popular <br /> <br />LEGISLATIVE HISTORY: Buffalo Peaks was recommended to Congress as <br />suitable for Wilderness in 1979 as part of RARE II. It was <br />