2011-06-15_PERMIT FILE - C1981038 ‎(2)‎

• Permit No: C1981038
• IBM Index Class Name: Permit File
• Doc Date: 6/15/2011
• Section_Exhibit Name: Volume 9B Archaeology Appendix Table of Contents Part 1
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

` ~ S11Ch'ION II
THE kilX,E SI'I'E AND ITS ENVIR~.xA4~fI'
The Ridge Site has Veen designated SDT771 (Appendix I) and is
' located in Colorado Westmoreland's initial 880 acre study area. This
includes the SW; of Sec. 13, the ~ of the Sh; of Sec. 14 and all of
Sec. 23 of T13S, R92W. 'Phis tract is situated on the southeast flank of
Grand Mesa and overlooks the Valley of the North Fork of the Gunnison
1 River in west-central Colorado (Figures 1, 2 and 3). Grand Mesa is a
prcnunent lava-capped plateau attaining altitudes as high as 11,000
feet. It is located on the extreme east edge of the Colorado Plateau
Province near its contact with the Southern Rocky Mountain Province
(~nornbury 1967:914-415, 334). The North Fork of the Gunnison River is
situated at an elevation of about 5,600 feet in a valley which measures
1 roughly one-half mile wide near the study area. The study area extends
in elevation fran 6,600 to 8,000 feet above sea level on the north side
of this valley.
Paleo-environmental data are rwt seemingly available for the valley
floor, but indications are that the local floral oaRrunity was curQosed
of lush native grasses interspersed with box elder and what is locally
referred to as "Valley oak" at the time of White settlement in the
1880's. One may reasonably suspect that cottonwood and willows were
also present in the local area as well. The climate was presrmably
typical of the mountain valleys in the Gunnison Country where winters
are harsh and the Sumner gracing season short in oacgaarison to valloys
• at lower elevations. The faunal oamnrnity would have been typical of
the lmcky Mountains with deer, elk, bear, beaver, wolf, and other
- manmals being cronspicuous. The valley floor is today intensively
cultivated for hay and orchards.
The Ridge Site is situated ~n the foothill slopes of the mountains.
These rise steeply above the North Fork and reach an elevation of about
8,000 feet within about two and one-half miles of the valley floor.
Puiyon and juniper with a mixture of scrub oak and other flora typical
of the Transitional Life Zone are evident on the slopes. NorUrward
beyond the steep slopes of the Valley, one enters rrore deeply into the
mountains where elevations are nraintainex3 at about 8,200 feet for four
miles or so. within about ten miles north of the bluffs overlooking the
Valley, the rtountaiiis rise to an elevation of nearly 10,000 feet. This
region is characterized by the Montane or Canadian Life Zone and once
exhibited conspicuous stands of aspen, with lush grasses in the small
parks, and spruce arrd fir obvious at various points. Today the area is
notable for its heavy growth of large shrub oak on the slopes in the
shell tril~utary valleys of the North Fork.
The study area includes the dividic~g ridge as well as the valleys
of Stevens Gulch and }:'art Roatcap Crex:k (Figure 3) . These are shall acrd
nornrally perennial streams flaring southward out of the nountains acrd
into the North Fork. Stevens Gulch and East kcatcap Creek receive their
water frcYn smaller v~termittent streams, a few springs and diverted flat
. from Overland Reservoir. The valleys of the creeks are extremely
3