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0007J6 January 1990 CANNIBAL PLATEAU/POWDERHORN PRIMITIVE ACREAGE: 72,470 total acres in study status 31,990 acres Cannibal Plateau study Area 40,480 acres Powderhorn Primitive Area DESIGNATION FS/BLM 56,911 RECOMMENDATIONS: ARMSTRONG 62,300 WIRTH 69,940 FOREST: Gunnison COUNTY: Hinsdale Land Area PUblic Land sq. miles % of total 1,115 95 FS/BLM land % 95 LOCATION: In the south central portion of the state, approximately 25 miles southwest of Gunnison, about 3 air miles east of Lake city and 160 air miles southwest of Denver. RECOMMENDATION: A substantial portion of the study area is recommended for wilderness designation. The proposed wilderness area boundaries modify the study area to protect water rights along the southeastern edge of the area. The southwestern boundary is drawn to avoid several oil and gas leases and the heavily used snowmobile trail which is under permit to Lake City Snowmobile Club. GENERAL reaching canyons. FEATURES: The topography is rolling and flat plateaus elevations of 12,500 feet and separated by steep rugged About one-half of the area is above timberline. SPECIAL FEATURES: The two principal land forms, Cannibal Plateau and Calf Plateau, are recognized as having some of the largest expanses of alpine willow ecosystem in the continental United States. The area was named for Colorado's most famous cannibal, Alferd Packer. LEGISLATIVE HISTORY: The area was studied in RARE II and was recommended as a further planning area (FPA) in the final RARE II EIS. The Colorado Wilderness Act retained its designation as an FPA. The Forest Service recommended 13,599 acres of the area suitable for designation as wilderness, and the BLM recommended 43,311 acres suitable. RELATION TO OTHER WILDERNESS: There are 904,700 wilderness acres within 50 miles; 1,699,000 wilderness acres within 100 miles, and 1,830,809 wilderness acres within 150 miles of the Cannibal Plateau Further Planning Area. The nearest areas are La Garita two miles east, and the Big Blue five miles west. VEGETATION: vegetation at the lower elevation is characterized by grassy parks surrounded by aspen and Engelmann spruce tree stands. Above timberline, the alpine tundra is interspersed with large areas of willow.