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6 <br />~ • parison to valleys a[ lower elevations. The faunal community would have <br />been typical of the Rocky Mountains with deer, elk, bear, beaver, wolf, <br />and other mammals being conspicuous. <br />The foothill slopes of the mountains rise steeply and reach an <br />elevation of about 3,000 feet witf~in about two and one-half miles of the <br />Valley floor. Pinion and Juniper with a mixture of shrub oak and other <br />flora typical of [he Transitional Life Zone arc evident on the slopes. <br />Again, fauna typical of the Rocky Ftountain Region ~•~ould have been present <br />at the time of initial White seCtlement in the region. <br />IJorthward beyond the steep slopes of the Valley, one enters r.iore <br />deeply into the mountains t~herc elevations are maintained ac about 8,200 <br />feet for about four miles. Llithin about ten miles north cf the bluffs <br />• overlooking the Valley, the mountains rise [o an elevation of nearly <br /> 10,000 feet. This r.;gion is characterized by the Mountain or Canadian <br />Life Zone and once exhibited conspicous stands of Aspen, ~~,ith lush grasses <br />in the shall parks, and spruce and fir obvious at various points. Today <br />the area is notable for its heavy growth of large shrub oak which local <br />informants indicate has replaced [he original orassy slopes of the small <br />tributary valleys of the North Fork (Morrell 1977). <br />The study area includes both the ridge crests and [he small parks <br />about Stevens Gulch which is a small intermittent stream flowing southward <br />out of the nountains and into the North Fork. Additionally, [he study <br />area includes the 'nest Fork of Terror Creek which flo~is southeasterly <br />across [he north extreme of the study area. Stephens Gulch receives its <br />eater from smaller intermittent strearis and apparently frr~m springs about <br />• <br />