Mission Mountains Wilderness. Inclusions. Montana Wilderness Association and Headwaters Montana

Transcription

1 Mission Mountains Inclusions 2014 Steven Gnam photo Montana Association and Headwaters Montana Prepared by Anne Dahl, Waypoints West, PO Box 1351, Condon, MT 59826

2 Mission Mountains Inclusions TABLE OF CONTENTS Pages 3-4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Pages 8-10 Pages Pages Pages Pages Pages Page 34 Summary Mission Mountains Inclusion Map North Mission Mountains Inclusion Map South Mission Mountains Woodward Inclusion Piper Fatty Inclusion Hemlock Elk Inclusion and Non-motorized Backcountry Glacier Slough Inclusion and Special Management Area Jocko Trail Lindbergh Lake Inclusion and Non-motorized Backcountry Sunset Ridge Inclusion and Non-motorized Backcountry References Attachments Page Page 42 Page 43 Field Forms Carnivore Track and Genetic Detection North Half Carnivore Track and Genetic Detection South Half 2

3 Mission Mountains Inclusions EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Montana Association and Headwaters Montana in 2014 assessed about 19,540 acres in six separate areas adjacent to the Mission Mountains, recommending about 17,400 acres for wilderness addition, about 1,590 acres for non-motorized backcountry, and about 550 acres for special management. These recommendations do not exclude other areas on the eastern slope of the Mission Mountains that may also be appropriate inclusions. Rather, the six areas represent the lands that could be thoroughly assessed in a three month period. Amy Robinson, Montana Association, and Dave Hadden, Headwaters Montana, worked with private contractor Anne Dahl, Waypoints West, to prepare this report. Each of the six areas were visited on foot. Satellite Imagery, GIS maps, scientific reports, data from the Flathead National Forest, books about the Swan Valley, and conversations with Swan Valley residents were reviewed. John Gatchell, Montana Association, provided information and assistance. The areas assessed from north to south for this report are named Woodward, Piper Fatty, Hemlock Elk, Glacier Slough, Jocko Trail Lindbergh Lake, and Sunset Ridge. All six assessment areas are remote and relatively difficult to access, Each is wildly beautiful, but lacking in outstanding scenic vistas and popular destinations that draw crowds of visitors. A few Forest Service system trails lead through these areas to lakes in the Mission Mountains. Remnants of historic trails or non-system hunter routes can be found in each, though they are often difficult to follow. These rough trails show little signs of popular use. Only three lakes in the six assessment areas are commonly fished. None of the areas recommended for wilderness are known to be used by snowmobilers, off road vehicle users, or mountain bikers. Much of the value of these areas is in their remoteness. They offer exceptional opportunity for solitude and unconfined recreation, and they add protection for the sensitive plant and animal species dependent on them, including grizzly bears, Canada lynx, wolverine, pine marten, and four species of rare plants. All six areas include recommendations for significant additions to the Mission Mountains. With few exceptions, they are unroaded with very little past management apparent. The Piper Fatty, Glacier Slough, and Jocko Trail Lindbergh Lake areas recommended for wilderness each include small areas that were roaded and logged in the past. These are included for wilderness continuity and ease of management, and to ensure the recovery of their ecosystem function. The areas recommended for non-motorized backcountry show evidence of more recent activity, such as road building and timber harvest. They may require weed treatment, culvert removal, road decommissioning, or tree planting to speed their recovery. Yet, they offer significant ecological value for the long term, Two parcels in the Hemlock Elk area are recommended for non-motorized backcountry, adding further protection for Elk Creek and a significant wetland complex. The other parcel secures land around the main trail to Hemlock Lake in the Mission Mountains. A nonmotorized backcountry area is also recommended between the Jocko Trail Lindbergh Lake and 3

4 the Sunset Ridge areas to bolster north-south habitat connectivity for Canada lynx, wolverine, grizzly bears and other wildlife species known to inhabit this area. A special management area designation is recommended at the main slough outlet in the Glacier Slough area. The slough outlet is near residential land and the U.S.F.S. Lindbergh Lake campground. The outlet area is enjoyed by people who like to hike, cross-country ski, snowmobile, hunt, fish or enjoy the view, No trails or trail improvements are advised in any of the recommended wilderness additions, non-motorized backcountry, or special management areas. Each offers quiet recreation for people who like to explore. The ecological values are significant. They add mid-slope forest ecosystem diversity not typical in our National Preservation System or at higher elevations in the Mission Mountains. This extends wildlife habitat and security downslope and into the four seasons for many wide-ranging species. It further protects water quality in streams and habitat for bull trout and native westslope cutthroat trout. It provides a barrier against the invasion of noxious weeds. None of the six areas add management and maintenance costs to the Forest Service budget. Together they add ecological diversity and broaden recreational opportunities in the Mission Mountains. 4

5 Mission Mountains Mission Mountains Proposed Inclusion NORTH Woodward Piper Fatty 5

6 Mission Mountains Mission Mountains Proposed Inclusion SOUTH Hemlock Elk Non-motorized Backcountry Special Management Glacier Slough Jocko Trail Lindbergh Lake Non-motorized Backcountry Sunset Ridge Lolo National Forest FJRA 6

7 MISSION MOUNTAINS WILDERNESS The 73,877-acre Mission Mountains is a stunning alpine area in the Flathead National Forest on the eastern slope of the divide separating the Swan Valley to the east and the Mission Valley to the west, This slim strip of protected land is about 7.5 miles across at its widest point. At the higher elevations, colorful argillite cliffs and tilted slab rocks cradle several large glacier carved lakes. The Swan River originates from Graywolf Lake at the southern end of the. Graywolf Lake, Mission Mountains Trails pass through evergreen forests and dense understories. Wildflowers bloom and huckleberries ripen during the brief summer season, from the forested mid-slopes to the rocky cliffs and ridges above tree line. Mountaineer Peak on the divide at 9,261 feet is the highest point within the wilderness. McDonald Peak to the west in the Mission Mountains Tribal is the highest in the range at 9,820 feet. Congress classified this area as wilderness in In the 1960 s Cal Tassinari was the first ranger of what was then the Mission Mountains Primitive Area. The management plan he wrote for the Primitive Area was later adopted for the new wilderness. When Tassinari began, trails started in the valley bottom. The trail to Piper Lake, for example, was 16 miles long. But logging and road building in the 1960 s and 70 s soon shortened the trail distances. Every time a new logging road was punched in, Cal moved the signs and register boxes further up (Voices of the Swan, p. 347). Today most of the 40 miles of maintained trails start only a mile or two outside the wilderness boundary. In 1985, Tassinari initiated a long running Forest Service contract with Swan Valley resident Kari Gunderson for wilderness stewardship services. In 1997, the nonprofit Swan Ecosystem Center began managing Kari s contract, in partnership with the Flathead National Forest. Kari opened and maintained system trails, broke down firepits, and restored degraded campsites. Most importantly she helped people learn skills to avoid conflicts with grizzly bears and other wildlife, prevent pollution to lakes and streams, and leave little sign of their visit. Kari worked steadfastly to keep the wild in wilderness. She retired after the 2014 season. Her legacy is a high standard of wilderness caretaking appreciated and adopted by visitors. 7

8 Flathead Indian Reservation WOODWARD ASSESSMENT AREA T23N, R18W, Section 20 and portions of Sections 17, 18, 19, 30 and 31; T23N, R19W, portions of Sections 24, 25 and 36 on Mission Mountains divide. Woodward The approximate 2,000-acre Woodward recommended wilderness is adjacent to and north of the Mission Mountains. The southeastern portion of Section 31 abuts the wilderness boundary. The elevation ranges from 7,226 feet in Section 25 (T23N R19W) to 5,760 feet in Section 17 (T23N, R18W). The western edge borders the Flathead Indian Reservation. State land is adjacent to the east. Shaped by Nature The Woodward assessment area is shaped primarily by the forces of nature, with few signs of human intervention, other than a few non-system trails. The composition of plant and animal communities is typical for the eastern slope of the Mission Mountains between 5,500 and 7,500 feet in elevation. The assessment area is almost entirely free of nonnative species. Old roads and evidence of old timber management are barely apparent in satellite imagery in Sections 19 and 20. This area seems to be recovering naturally. Woodward Mission Mountains Opportunities for Solitude The Woodward assessment area is relatively remote and difficult to access. It provides superb opportunity for solitude, primitive recreation, and practice with compass or GPS. Hunters apparently make use of this area. Bear diggings in a wet meadow. Dave Hadden photo 8 Wildlife The Woodward assessment area is frequented by grizzly bears, wolverine, and elk, as well as other species common to the Swan Valley and the Mission Mountains. Grizzly bear diggings and elk tracks were found in early October 2014 in the large wet meadow in Section 31. Fresh grizzly scat was also sighted. A goshawk was spotted in October The area is at the uppermost headwaters of South Woodward and Woodward creeks. Their tributaries are small and unlikely to hold trout. A low saddle between two ridges in the southeast quarter of Section 31 offers wildlife connection southward to the Fatty Lake area.

9 Forests Subalpine fir, whitebark pine, Engelmann spruce, and lodgpole pine make up the coniferous forest in the Woodward assessment area. Some of the whitebark pine trees are still providing cones. The fire history map for the Swan Valley shows no forest fires in the Woodward assessment area, though the map may be incomplete. Menziesia is a common understory shrub. Dwarf huckleberry, sedges and an aster were found in October 2014 in the large wet meadow in Section 31. Historic Uses Not much historical information about the Woodward assessment area could be found. A few rough non-system trails have been kept open, possibly by hunters. Wet meadow dry in October 2014 showing dwarf huckleberry in fall color. Dave Hadden photo Evidence of Logging Evidence of old roads and shelter-wood timber harvest from 1976 are discernable in Sections 19 and 20 by viewing satellite imagery. Yet the area appears to be recovering naturally. Access Access to the Woodward assessment area is difficult but possible from gated roads through State land in the South Woodward Creek drainage. Manageability The Woodward assessment area would require little management effort. No trails are recommended. Boundaries would follow the Mission Mountains divide to the west and north, and State boundaries to the east. The Woodward assessment area is outside the wildland urban interface as defined by the Seeley Swan Fire Plan. 9

10 Flathead Indian Reservation Woodward Assessment Area Woodward Piper Fatty Mission Mountains 10

11 PIPER FATTY ASSESSMENT AREA T22N, R18W, Sections 4, 9, 10, 14, 15, 23 and 26 Piper Fatty The Piper Fatty recommended wilderness encompasses about 4,500 acres, ranging in elevation from about 3,800 feet at Cedar Creek to 6,863 feet at the high point in Section 9, above Fatty Creek. The Mission Mountains is adjacent to the west. Flathead National Forest lands are to the north, east and south. Piper Fatty Shaped by Nature The Piper Fatty assessment area is shaped primarily by the forces of nature, with few signs of human intervention, other than trails. The few old logging roads are growing in naturally. The composition of plant and animal communities is typical for the eastern slope of the Mission Mountains at 3,000-7,000-feet in elevation. The area is generally free of invasive species. Mission Mountains Opportunities for Solitude The Piper Fatty Assessment area offers superb opportunity for solitude. Most of the area can only be reached off trail. Other than Fatty Lake, which is already in the Mission Mountains, there are no popular destination lakes. Few people are willing to bushwhack through the dense, steep forests to appreciate the area s quiet, sublime beauty. This is a place to challenge route-finding enthusiasts seeking adventure. The U.S.F.S. Piper Lake Trail #119 along Piper Creek bisects Section 26 at the southern end of this assessment area. Sections 14 and 15 are untamed with limited access. Section 15, formerly timber company land, is entirely unroaded. Section 9 and 23 are lightly roaded due to past logging. These road are recovering naturally. Sections 3, 4, 10, 14 and 26 have long been national forest. No timber harvest has occurred in these five sections since Access The Piper Lake Trail #119 to Piper Lake and Ducharme Lakes in the Mission Mountains is reached from the Swan Valley by the Piper Creek Road #966. To the north, the Fatty Creek Road #10381 leads to the Cedar Lake Trailhead and Trail #738. Maintaining a 30-footwide corridor on either side of this main access road in Section 4 and on the southern edge of the road in Section 3 is recommended. An unmarked, unmaintained trail leads from the Fatty Creek Road in Section 4 to Fatty Lake, which is in the Mission Mountains. The Fatty Lake trail was established by firefighters in 1934 who were attempting to control a fire that burned east of the lake toward the Swan River. Fatty Lake has remained popular with anglers who know where to look for the trail and don t mind crawling over downfall. 11

12 Early Uses Piper Crow Pass, now in the Mission Mountains, was a well-traveled route, perhaps for centuries, connecting the Mission and Swan Valleys. Pend d Oreille Indians followed the trail over the pass from the Mission Valley to Salmon Prairie. From there they traveled up Lion Creek and over the Swan Range into what is now the Bob Marshall, and beyond, to hunt buffalo and other big game, and to gather plants for food and medicine. The Blackfeet followed the same trail west to steal horses (Voices of the Swan, p. 253). Even after a rough road was built for automobiles from Swan Lake into the Swan Valley, many people found walking or riding horseback over Piper Crow Pass to be easier than driving around the Mission Mountains by car. Dixie Meyer s father Babe Clothier brought his horses over Piper Crow Pass in the late 1930s. But Dixie said the horses ran back home and it was a long walk for Babe to retrieve them (personal communication). Beargrass in a Piper Fatty mixed conifer forest Steven Gnam photo Old maps show a north-south foothills trail running from the Piper Lake Trail #119 in Section 26 and passing through Sections 23, 15, 10, 3 and 4. This foothills trail, which provided access from points in the Swan Valley, may have led to Cedar Peak fire lookout above Cedar Lake in what is now the Mission Mountains. The lookout was removed in the 1970s. Logging and road building have obliterated most of the old foothills trails, which were built primarily for fire-fighting and to access lookouts in the Swan Valley. Fish and Wildlife Native westslope cutthroat trout reside in upper and lower Piper Creek and in Cedar Creek (Swan Basin Restoration 2012, pages 19-22, Swan Ecosystem Center). These stream reaches are listed as priority westslope cutthroat conservation areas with the Flathead National Forest, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, and other members of the Swan Valley Native Fish Committee. Wolverine are known to inhabit the Piper Fatty area. Prescribed Burn The Flathead National Forest in mid-september 2014 burned portions of Section 26 and 23 at the eastern end of the 1,000-acre Mission Upland Burning Project area. The full effects of this effort to return fire to the landscape won t be known for several months or years. Forests Forests and plant communities in the Piper Fatty Assessment area are diverse and typical of the eastern slopes of the Mission Mountains at 3,000-7,000 feet in elevation: Northern Rockies mesic and dry mesic montane mixed conifer. Trees and understory vegetation are shaped by elevation, aspect, moisture and fire. The higher elevations and north facing slopes favor subalpine fir. Douglas-fir is widespread in both dry and moist areas. Engelmann spruce is prevalent along 12

13 streamsides and other cool zones. Western red cedar is found along Cedar Creek in Section 14. Western larch and lodgepole pine grow throughout, especially where fire burned with intensity. A 1910 fire burned across portions of Sections 10 and 23, and all of Sections 14 and 15, in the Piper Fatty assessment area. Most of the forest there now is about 100 years old. A 1934 fire burned east of Fatty Lake in Section 34. Many of those trees started life about 80 years ago. Older fire-resistant species are found within these burned areas. Some stands are interspersed with western white pine. The understory includes huckleberry, thimbleberry, menziesia, alder, and wildlflowers, such as yellow and blue violets and groundsel. Rare Plants A rare plant Rannoch rush, Scheuchzeria palustrisis, is found in Section 9 of the Piper Fatty assessment area. Evidence of Logging Sections 9 and 23, former timber company lands, have received some timber harvest and road building to remove small diameter trees and regenerate the stands. A 196- acre unit in Section 9 was clearcut in This area is growing back. Section 23 was logged in 1988 and The two clearcuts totaled about 214 acres. These areas are also regenerating. Manageability The Piper Fatty assessment area would require little management as designated wilderness. No new trails or trail improvements are recommended. The Fatty Lake Trail should remain unmarked and unmaintained to protect opportunities for sol- Dave Hadden attempting to follow an old road in Section 3. itude and quiet recreation. The Piper Fatty assessment area is almost entirely free of invasive plants. Yet, roads in the area that have not grown in should be treated for noxious weeds prior to wilderness designation. Culverts, if any, should be removed, and the roads should be decommissioned. None of the land in the Piper Fatty assessment area is identified as Wildland Urban Interface, as defined in the Seeley Swan Fire Plan. The nearest private residential land and private roads are more than a mile distant, buffered by forested national forest lands. 13

14 Piper Fatty Assessment Area Piper Fatty Mission Mountains 14

15 Mission Mountains HEMLOCK ELK ASSESSMENT AREA T20N, R18W, Section 13 and unroaded portions of Section 12; T20N R17W, Sections 32, 29, 20, 19, 18 and the south half of 17 are recommended for wilderness. A portion of Section 16, T20N, R17W, and all of Section 5, T19N, R17W, are recommended for non-motorized backcountry. Hemlock Elk The Hemlock Elk recommended wilderness encompasses about 4,200 unroaded acres adjacent to the Mission Mountains, ranging in elevation from about 4,160 feet in Elk Creek to 6,800 feet on the Hemlock Ridge in Section 19. The assessment area is bordered to the north, east and south by Flathead National Forest lands. The northern boundary in Section 12 avoids relatively recent logging. The Hemlock Elk recommended wilderness includes portions of the U.S.F.S. Elk Ridge Trail #301 at the northern end and the U.S.F.S. North Hemlock Lake Trail #515 to the south. The 1,920-acre Elk Creek basin in the northern portion of the assessment area is the ecological heart of this wild country. Hemlock Elk Hemlock Elk Assessment Area 16 Non-motorized Backcountry Non-motorized Backcountry About 1,140 acres are recommend for non-motorized backcountry, including a portion of Section 16, T20N, R17W, and all of Section 5, T19N, R17W. This adds protection for bull trout and a rich wetland complex in Section 16. The boundary of Section 16 follows the section lines, except in the northeastern corner, where it follows U.S.F.S. Road #9591. A 30-foot buffer would separate the road from the protected area. In Section 5 to the south, U.S.F.S. Trail #607 leads to Hemlock Lake in the Mission Mountains. Shaped by Nature The Hemlock Elk assessment area is shaped primarily by the forces of nature, with few signs of human intervention, other than a few trails. The assessment area is almost entirely free of invasive species. Opportunities for Solitude The Hemlock Elk recommended wilderness is entirely roadless. Given there are few maintained trails, and that travel is mostly off-trail, opportunities for solitude, and primitive and unconfined recreation abound. The land is unsuitable for motorized and mechanized recreation, due to its steepness and lack of access points. There are no scenic destinations. Recreation opportunities include hunting, exploring, and navigating with map and compass or GPS. 15

16 Early Uses Pend d Oreille and Kalispell people camped, hunted and fished along Elk Creek and still visit the area (Elk Creek Conservation Area Management Plan, Chap. 3). Elk Creek was also important to early Swan Valley residents who relied on bull trout as a food source. In the 1940s, Kenny Huston s family made one trip a year on horseback when he was a boy to catch bull trout. Kenny s grandmother would pickle and can the fish to make them last the winter (Voices of the Swan, page 147). In the Hemlock area to the south, trappers in the 1930 s and 40 s followed a trail to tend their traps (now U.S.F.S. trail #515) from the vicinity of Loon Lake to the Hemlock basin, in present day Mission Mountains. Remnants of an old trapper cabin near the outlet of Hemlock Lake in the Mission Mountains burned during the Crazy Horse Fire. (Hemlock Basin Historic Sites, by Bud Moore, , Bud Moore Papers, Archives and Special Collections, Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library, The University of Montana Missoula.) Swan Valley resident Bud Moore trapped in the area in the 1970 s. Fish and Wildlife Elk Creek has been closed to fishing for decades to protect bull trout, a federally listed species under the Endangered Species Act. Elk Creek is considered one of the most important bull trout streams in Montana. Cold upwellings and clean Coyote track in Hemlock Elk Area Jonathon Finch photo gravels make this a prime spawning stream (Conservation Strategy for Bull Trout on USFS Lands in Western Montana, May 2013). At the northern end of the assessment area, grizzly bears, wolverines, wolves and other carnivores find refuge in the Elk Creek basin, now as in the past. In the 1940s Gyda Newman camping with her young family saw many bears, usually grizzlies. The bears would come so close they smelled like wet dogs. But Gyda said they never bothered the family (Voices of the Swan, pages ). The streamside and wetland vegetation in the basin provide habitat for many species of birds, including Neotropical migrants such as western tanagers, olive-sided flycatchers and yellow-rumped warblers, as well as yearround avian residents, including Steller jays and spruce grouse. Nearly all native wildlife depend on riparian areas such as found along Elk Creek during at least part of their lives. Forests The Elk Creek basin is densely forested The stands are Amy Robinson and a large western red cedar in the Elk Creek basin. 16

17 shaped by elevation, aspect, moisture and fire. Many of the diverse tree species, from subalpine fir, to birch, spruce and lodgepole, got their start after a 1919 fire. According to early settler Ed Beck, the fire burned for a month at the head of Elk Creek before spreading to Lindbergh Lake and Beaver Creek (Voices of the Swan, page 37). Today, centuries-old living larch trees and ancient burned snags are intermixed with younger year old trees. Small groves of large western red cedar that have withstood fire for centuries are found scattered in the basin s riparian areas, along with a rich mix of deciduous trees and shrubs, moisture loving forbs and coniferous evergreen trees. In contrast, on the steep drier slopes of the Hemlock Elk assessment area, lodgepole pine, western larch and Douglas-fir dominate. Mountain hemlock can be found on the high slopes, giving name to the area. The 2003 Crazy Horse Fire burned across Red Butte, Frenchy, Hemlock and Windfall creeks and up the southern half of the Windfall-Elk Creek divide. Few mature trees survived, except on north-facing slopes and in riparian areas. Young lodgepole and larch are now dominating these stands, with aspen intermixed. Fire crews created a fire line up the Windfall-Elk Creek divide to the Mission Mountains boundary. The fire died before reaching the fire line. Although it is regenerating with young trees and shrubs, the line will be visible from the valley for many years, Elk Creek Jonathan Finch photo The Elk Creek Legacy Due to its ecological significance, considerable effort by citizens, federal, state and tribal agencies, land trust organizations, and Plum Creek Timber Company has been directed at protecting Elk Creek s critical bull trout habitat, soils, water and wildlife, from the wilderness boundary to the confluence with the Swan River. In 1983, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks recommended that the Forest Service acquire the upper Elk Creek basin to protect bull trout. In the 1990s, U.S. Senator Max Baucus sent a letter to the Forest Service encouraging a land purchase. But Plum Creek was not interested in selling. Instead, in 1991, Forest Service and Plum Creek officials agreed to a land exchange. During the public scoping period, members of the Swan Citizens ad hoc Committee, a local con- 17 Dave Hadden and Amy Robinson on Elk Creek.

18 servation group, spent several months considering the opportunity and eventually recommended the exchange. In 1996, the Flathead National Forest granted the timber company about 1,920 acres on the east side of the Swan Valley in trade for 1,574 acres in the upper reaches of Elk Creek (Sections 13, 19 and half of 17). Later, in 2006, to protect the creek s lower reaches, the local nonprofit Swan Ecosystem Center and the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes acquired the 640-acre Elk Creek Conservation Area at the creek s confluence with the Swan River. A Bonneville Power Administration conservation easement now protects the Conservation Area from development. In 2014, the last remaining timber company parcel along Elk Creek (Section 3), was transferred from The Nature Conservancy to the Flathead National Forest as part of the Montana Legacy Project. Only one unprotected private residential parcel with a short reach of Elk Creek remains unprotected from development. No plans for a conservation easement on this parcel are known. Access, Elk Creek Basin A non-system trail leads to the forks of Elk Creek. Early Swan Valley residents Warner Elk Creek Jonathan Finch photo and Margret Lundberg told stories of Pend d Oreille Indians who came twice a year and camped at the Lundberg homestead. The Lundbergs belived the Indians traveled from the Mission Valley over a pass through Elk Creek in the early 1900s, but no one could find their trail (Voices of the Swan, page 217). Today, the trail to the forks of Elk Creek is not identified on current Forest Service maps. Although hard to find, it is known to more than a few people. It has been thoroughly blazed, and for many years people have cut out the downfall, making this illegally constructed trail, once found, relatively easy to follow. Access is off an M-1 road in Section 17. Access, Elk Ridge At the northernmost end of the Hemlock Elk assessment area, the U.S.F.S. trail #301 leads up Elk Ridge, providing access to the Mission Mountains. This trail is maintained for about 2.5 miles. From there, visitors can follow an unmaintained trail to small lakes in the South Fork of Cold Creek. Or, with good route finding skills, travel on an old Indian trail to Mollman Lakes in the Mission Mountains. Access, North Hemlock To the south in the Hemlock Elk assessment area, the U.S.F.S trail #515 provides access through forests burned in the Crazy Horse Fire and beyond to North Hemlock Lake in the Mission Mountains. The fire line which runs up through Sections 19 and 20 nearly to the wilderness boundary below Hemlock Point is not accessible by motorized vehicle, except perhaps by snowmobile in winter. 18

19 Access, Section 16, non-motorized backcountry. Remnants of an old trail leads up through Section 16 from U.S.F.S. Road #9591. The road is open year-round from the south. This trail once led to the Hemlock Point fire lookout in what is now the Mission Mountains. Access, Section 5 non-motorized backcountry At the far south end of the Hemlock Elk area, Trail #607 in Section 5 leads to Hemlock Lake in the Mission Mountains. Evidence of Logging About eight units were logged in Section 16, in the area recommended for non-motorized backcountry. Two of the units, a acre shelterwood cut and a 1984 seven-acre stand clearcut, are regenerating. In 2010, about six units totaling about 80 acres were clearcut primarily to remove small diameter lodgepole pine. Seed trees were left where possible. Recovery has just begun. In Section 5, also recommended for non-motorized backcountry, two units totaling about 93 acres were seed-tree cut in 1985 to remove small diameter trees and regenerate the stand. The area then burned during the Crazy Horse Fire of These areas are recovering. Manageability The Hemlock Elk recommended wilderness would require little management. No new trails or trail improvements are recommended. The informal trail into the Elk Creek basin should not be maintained or shown on maps, due to the significance of Elk Creek Basin as a refugia for bull trout, grizzly bears and many other species. Poaching of bull trout, and illegal hunting camps and caches, have been reported for years in the Elk Creek basin, requiring continued monitoring by law enforcement officials. Most of the Hemlock Elk assessment area is almost entirely free of invasive plants. Weed treatment in Section 5, recommended as non-motorized backcountry, will need to continue to ensure eradication of noxious weeds along old roads and in log landings, despite some recent treatments. Roads in Sections 16 and 5 should be reclaimed by removing culverts, if any, and by treating weeds. Then they should be decommissioned. None of the land in the Hemlock Elk assessment area is identified as Wildland Urban Interface, as defined in the Seeley Swan Fire Plan. The nearest private residential land and private roads are more than a mile distant, buffered by forested national forest lands. 19

20 Mission Mountains Hemlock Elk Assessment Area Hemlock Elk Non-motorized Backcountry 20

21 Mission Mountains GLACIER SLOUGH ASSESSMENT AREA T19N, R17W, portions of Sections 9, 10, 15, 16, 20, 21, 28 and 29. Glacier Slough The Glacier Slough recommended wilderness encompasses about 2,300 acres, ranging in elevation from about 4,500 feet along Glacier Creek in Section 16 to about 6,440 feet at the northwestern edge of Section 20. A road corridor with a 30-foot buffer on either side of U.S.F.S. Road #561 would allow access to the Glacier Lake Trailhead. Special Management Glacier Creek flows out of the southern half of the Mission Mountains and drops steadily northeastward through a narrow canyon until, at about 4,500 feet in elevation, it widens and slows, forming a broad marsh, or slough. Glacier Slough is held back by a low terminal moraine, a remnant of the most recent glacial period. From there the creek narrows again on its way through the valley to its confluence with the Swan River. The slough in sections 9 and 10 forms a lake in late spring and early summer. When the water has receded, the creek flows along the eastern edge. Emergent aquatic vegetation fills the slough s western half. The northwestern edge of Section 28 at the southern (upper) end of the canyon is adjacent to the Mission Mountains near the popular Glacier Lake Trailhead. The canyon is unroaded. A few road segments in Section 20 and 29, in the southwestern portion of the Glacier Slough recommended wilderness, are growing in. Addition The canyon upstream from the main slough to the Mission Mountains boundary is wild and difficult to access. It makes a good wilderness addition because of its remoteness and the richness of the ecological system along Glacier Creek and up to the ridge tops. Section 20 west of U.S.F.S. Road #561 is included as wilderness for continuity and because of it s wild nature. Special Management Area The main slough area and the outlet stream (sections 9 and 10) are recommended for a special management area to allow snowmobiling to the slough outlet, while also protecting the slough s rich ecological values. The slough outlet is easily accessed year-round from the U.S. Forest Ser Glacier Slough wilderness

22 Amy Robinson, Montana Association, at the outlet end of the main slough. A special management area designation is recommended for this slough and upstream for about 1.7 miles. 22 vice campground at Lindbergh Lake and by Swan Valley residents. Although snowmobiling is illegal here, it has never been enforced. People have been snowmobiling to the outlet for decades to enjoy the view. Snowmobiling on the slough ice is dangerous and is unlikely to occur often, if at all. Special management would allow a snowmobile route to the outlet, December 1 - April 1, but disallow it on the slough or beyond. The remaining special management area would be non-motorized year-round. The view from the moraine at the slough outlet is to the west of Red Butte and Lindy Peak in the Mission Mountains. The short, gently rolling Glacier Slough trail (U.S.F.S. trail #481) to the slough outlet is enjoyed year-round by Swan Valley residents in winter on skis and snowshoes, as well as on snowmobiles, and in summer on foot for sightseeing, bird watching and fishing. Lindbergh Lake resident Dave Johnson said after a 2014 visit to the slough with family members, It s a pretty spot. The marsh grasses change color in the fall. There are ducks and deer around. Dan MacQuarrie, a Cygnet Lake resident, took his grandson there in August 2014 for huckleberry picking. He said although they didn t fish, they saw fish rising. Shaped by Nature The Glacier Slough assessment area is shaped primarily by the forces of nature, with few signs of human intervention. The composition of plant and animal communities is typical for the east slope of the Mission Mountains from 4, feet in elevation. The assessment area is almost entirely free of nonnative species. Opportunities for Solitude The Glacier Slough assessment area is mostly roadless, accept in Section 20 where short road segments are still evident. The Glacier Creek canyon can be visited off-trail by hardy hunters, anglers and people who enjoy practicing navigation by map and compass or GPS. There is ample opportunity for solitude and adventure in this pristine steep-sided riparian area. There is no trail leading up the canyon from the slough outlet. Access The Glacier Slough trail to the recommended special management area is accessed from the U.S.F.S. Herrick Run Road #79, about a half mile north of the U.S.F.S. Lindbergh Lake Campground. Further up, the steep eastern slope of the canyon is possible from an old trail off Road #79,. Access to the steep-sided western slope of the canyon is possible from U.S.F.S. road

23 #561, which leads to the Glacier Lake Trail #690 in the. It is also possible to hike off trail into the canyon area through dense riparian forest downstream from the boundary between Sections 28 and 29. Section 20 can be accessed from Road #561 or by bushwhacking north from the Glacier Lake Trailhead. Fish and Wildlife Glacier Slough is a haven for water fowl in late spring, summer and early fall. Neotropical migrants breed and rear young in the willow and alder shrubs and the adjacent mixed conifer forests. It s common to see muskrat push ups and feeding platforms dotting the marshland. Although only a few moose are found in the Swan Valley, these large ungulates are known to inhabit the area, as do deer, elk and other prey. Predators include, grizzly and black bears, wolverine, wolves and mountain lions. Native westslope cutthroat trout, as well as nonnative brook and rainbow trout are found in Glacier Creek. Bald eagles have nested above the slough. Forests The Glacier Slough assessment area, like much of the Swan Valley s western side, is densely forested with a diversity of tree species and understory vegetation: typical Northern Rockies mesic and dry mesic montane mixed confer. Large western larch trees that have withstood fire for centuries dominate. The entire Glacier Slough assessment area was burned in The trees that started life after the fire are approaching 100 years of age. Evidence of Logging Section 20 was logged in 1987 in several small units. About 45 acres were seed-tree harvested; Approximately 29 acres were shelter-wood logged. About 25 acres were clearcut. In Section 29 three units totaling about nine acres were clearcut in 1987, The logged areas in Sections 20 and 29 and the associated roads are recovering naturally. Diverse forest on the western slope of Glacier Slough. Early Uses It may still be possible to find signs of an old trapper cabin on a low rise west of the slough at the outlet (Swan Valley Place Names, page 60). A foothills trail (1930s- 50s) led from Lindbergh Lake to Glacier Slough and north along the eastern slope of the Mission Mountains (Voices of the Swan, pg. 347). The trail was used primarily to access lookouts and aid with firefighting. A 1979 Mission Mountains map shows this trail, #33, running southwestward from Elbow Lookout over the canyon s eastern ridge through Sections 15 and 21 to Glacier Lake. The trail was heavily used in the 1940s by outfitters at Laird Lodge (Diamond L Bar) on Lindbergh Lake for taking clients to Glacier Lake and above in what is now the Mission Mountains. Cygnet Lake resident Dan MacQuarrie last rode the trail in the late 1960s. Wife Sharon s family owned the lodge when she was a girl. Portions of the trail can still be found. The current trail #481 to the slough outlet from near Lindbergh Lake was reestablished in

24 Mission Mountains Ranger at the time, Cal Tassinari, worked with the Flathead National Forest and Great Northern timber company (later Burlington Northern and then Plum Creek) on a land exchange to protect the slough trail. This trail, also showing on the 1979 map, formerly crossed Glacier Creek near the slough outlet and continued north and east to Kraft Creek Road. Remnants of Trail #481 beyond the Slough outlet may still be found. Glacier Slough Legacy Glacier Slough has a long history of community-based conservation. The special values of Glacier Slough were recognized in 1982 at a community meeting in the Swan Valley Community Hall. The meeting was attended by citizens and forest officials, and facilitated by Dr. William, R. Bud Moore. Expressing the views of the group Bud Moore wrote: This area should be managed in a roadless condition with priority given to naturalness, dispersed recreation, wildlife and water quality. Boundaries should be drawn, with participation by knowledgeable citizens, to assure that the present wildness of the sloughs and their environs is not degraded by roads or the sights and sounds of machines and industrial development. Close cooperation between the Forest Service and the Burlington Northern Railroad Company will be needed to achieve this objective. The 1986 Flathead National Forest Plan made acquisition of the timber company lands in the Glacier Slough area a priority. The Montana Legacy project in 2011 completed the acquisitions. Manageability The Glacier Slough recommended wilderness would require little management. To protect opportunities for solitude and primitive and unconfined recreation, no new trails or trail improvements are recommended. Trail #481 to the Glacier Slough outlet in the recommended special management area should continue to receive light maintenance to remove downfall and prevent erosion. Snowmobiling allowed only along this trail, December 1 - April 1, would be monitored for compliance. The old logging units and road segments in Sections 20 and 29 would be allowed to recover. Weeds would be treated and culverts, if any, would be removed. Then the roads would be decommissioned. The Glacier Slough assessment area is almost entirely free of invasive plants. None of the land in the Glacier Slough assessment area is identified as Wildland Urban Interface, as defined in the Seeley Swan Fire Plan. The nearest private residential land and private roads are more than a mile distant, buffered by forested national forest lands 24

25 Mission Mountains Glacier Slough Assessment Area Special Management Glacier Slough 29 25

26 Mission Mountains JOCKO TRAIL LINDBERGH LAKE ASSESSMENT AREA T19N, R17W, portions of Sections 34 and 35; T18N, R17W, portions of Sections 2, 3 and 4. Section 11, T18N, R17W, is recommended for non-motorized backcountry. The Jocko Trail Lindbergh Lake recommended wilderness encompasses about 2,100 acres, ranging in elevation from about 4,300 feet at Lindbergh Lake to 6,200 feet west of Meadow Lake. It includes the shores and the slopes above the southern portion of Lindbergh Lake, the lake s marshy inlet, and upstream to the Mission Mountains boundary. The western edge of the assessment area is bounded by U.S.F.S. Road #79 with a 30-foot buffer. Around Meadow Lake the assessment area extends to the west and south, joining the Mission Mountains on two sides. Jocko Trail Lindbergh Lake Non-motorized Backcountry Non-motorized Backcountry About 450 acres in Section 11, adjacent to the Mission Mountains, is recommended for non-motorized backcountry, adding north-south habitat connectivity between the Sunset Ridge and the Jocko Trail Lindbergh Lake assessment areas. Two units in Section 11 (now national forest) were logged by Plum Creek Timber Company: a 98-acre stand clearcut in 1988 and a 58-acre stand clearcut in These units have begun to recover. Shaped by Nature The Jocko Trail Lindbergh Lake assessment area is shaped primarily by the forces of nature, with few signs of human intervention, other than trails and small areas of past logging. The composition of plant and animal communities is typical for the eastern slope of the Mission Mountains at 4,000-6,500 feet in elevation. The assessment area is almost entirely free of nonnative species. Opportunities for Solitude Much of the Jocko Trail Lindbergh Lake area is accessible by boat, road or trail. Yet the steepness of the slopes limits access off of established trails to all but the hardiest bushwhackers seeking primitive and solitary adventure. Meadow Lake attracts birders and others who enjoy quiet nature. There are no popular destinations in the assessment area that would attract crowds of people. Historic Trail Pend d Oreille Indians traveled over Jocko Pass from near Arlee to the Swan Valley. One trail 26

27 spur led down Beaver Creek to Holland Lake. Another spur continued down Jocko Ridge to Lindbergh Lake (Trail #34) and then northeastward through the Swan Valley to Cooney Creek (Swan Valley Place Names, pg. 88). Early day outfitters who wintered their horses in the Mission Valley trailed their stock over the pass. Access There are several access points to the Jocko Lindbergh Lake area. The Jocko Trail #34 begins on private property near the eastern shore of Lindbergh Lake. A U.S.F.S. conservation easement allows access along this trail. After leaving private land, the trail follows the ridge separating the Swan River to the west and Beaver Creek to the east. Trail #34 leads south, crossing U.S.F.S. Trail #351, then continues westward up the ridge through the Mission Mountains to the Mission Mountains Tribal near Buck Lake and beyond through Tribal to a trailhead at the North Fork of the Jocko River near Arlee. Trail #351 starts at Beaver Creek, crosses Trail #34, and runs downslope to Crystal Lake in the Mission Mountains. Trail #490 to Crystal Lake can be reached by boat at the head of Lindbergh Lake. The western and eastern shores and the slopes above Lindbergh Lake in the assessment area can also be reached off-trail by boat. Otherwise access to the west slope above the lake is from above, off of Forest Service Road #79. This road leads to Meadow Lake and the trail to Cedar Lake in the Mission Mountains, which is the northern end of Trail 351 from Beaver Creek. The area around Meadow Lake is accessed from the trailhead for Crystal Lake, trail #351. Diverse Forest The diverse forests are typical of Northern Rockies mesic and dry mesic montane mixed conifer stands, shaped by aspect, elevation, moisture and fire. The 1919 fire burned much of the Jocko Trail Lindbergh Lake assessment area. Trees that started life after the fire are about 90 years of age, with older fire-resistant larch intermixed. Near the inlet of Lindbergh Lake, a campfire in 2008 spread up the west slope to the ridge top to about a half mile from Meadow and Bunyan Lakes. Some large larch and Douglas-fir trees that survived this fire remain among an understory of young trees and shrubs. The view looking southeast from the Lindbergh Lake trailhead to Crystal Lake in the Mission Mountains (Trail #490). The western larch, on the forested slope below the North Jocko Trail, is in full fall color. Rare Plants Four plants listed as rare by the U.S. Forest Service are found at Meadow Lake: English sundew Drosera anglica, Magellan s sphagnum Sphagnum magellanicum, swaying bulrush Schoenoplectus subterminalis, Rannoch rush, Scheuchzeria palustris. 27

28 Fish and Wildlife Bull trout reside in Lindbergh Lake. The Swan River above the lake inlet is considered critical bull trout habitat. These native fish are threatened by recently introduced nonnative lake trout. At the lake inlet, a marshy area provides habitat for many species, from beaver to great blue heron. Common loons are often spotted on the lake. Signs of grizzly bear, moose and elk are frequently found along Trail #490 to Crystal Lake. Grizzlies for years have chewed and rubbed against the wilderness boundary sign, leaving their fur snagged on the signpost. Canada lynx, wolverine and pine marten inhabit this area. Birds common above the inlet to Lindbergh Lake include varied thrush, Townsend s warbler and other Neotropical migrants. Near Meadow Lake and other mid-elevations slopes, the olivesided flycatcher can be heard signing. The Lewis woodpecker has been spotted on the Jocko Trail. Evidence of Logging Portions of Sections 3, 4 and 34 have been logged. A 5-acre stand east of Meadow Lake in Section 3 was clearcut in 1999 to remove small diameter trees. In Section 4, one 4-acre unit south of Meadow Lake was seed tree cut and three units totaling 85 acres west of Meadow Lake were seed tree cut to remove small diameter trees. Two units in Section 34 near Bunyan Lake were logged: a 9-acre stand clearcut in 1989 and a acre seed tree cut to remove small diameter trees. Beaver Creek Landscape Restoration Project A small portion of the Jocko Trail Lindbergh Lake assessment area is within the Flathead National Forest s Beaver Creek Landscape Restoration Project Area. Proposed management actions could affect small acreages in the Jocko Lindbergh Lake area. The recommendations in this report are intended to enhance the goals of the Beaver Creek project. Manageability None of the land in the Jocko Trail Lindbergh Lake assessment area is identified as Wildland Urban Interface, as defined in the Seeley Swan Fire Plan. The nearest private residential land and private roads are more than a mile distant, buffered by forested lands of the Flathead National Forest. The roads in Section 11 should be decommissioned after fill planting,if any, and after culverts, if any, are removed, and the weeds have been treated. Any other old logging roads in the Jocko Trail Lindbergh Lake assessment area should also be decommissioned. No new trails are needed or desirable. The existing trails should continue to be maintained as they have been for decades. 28

29 Mission Mountains Jocko Trail Lindbergh Lake Assessment Area Jocko Trail Lindbergh Lake Non-motorized Backcountry 29

30 Mission Mountains SUNSET RIDGE ASSESSMENT AREA The Sunset Ridge assessment area includes recommended wilderness in portions of Sections 12, 13, 14 and 23 in T18N, R17W, and portions of Sections 5, 6, 7, 8 and 18 in T18N, R16W. A portion of Section 11, T18N, R17W, is recommended for non-motorized backcountry. Sunset Ridge The Sunset Ridge recommended wilderness is about 2,300 acres in size, ranging in elevation from about 6,000 feet in Beaver Creek to 7,098 feet at Sunset Point. It is a convoluted strip of mountainside running northeastward from the Mission Mountains to include Beaver Lake. The Swan Clearwater Divide forms the southern boundary. Non-motorized Backcountry Adjacent, on the southfacing slope of the Swan Clearwater Divide in the Lolo National Forest, is a 3,500-4,000-acre area also being considered for wilderness designation as part of the Forest Jobs and Recreation Act of Sunset Ridge The northern boundary of the Sunset Ridge area s recommended wilderness follows the northern boundary of Section 14 eastward to the intersection with Road #9656. From there it continues east following Road #s 9656 and 9570 to the western boundary of Section 7, allowing a 30-foot buffer above the roads. The Sunset Ridge boundary then runs north up the western lines of Sections 7 and 6 to Road #9658, which becomes the Sunset Ridge boundary, with a 30-foot buffer above the road. When Road # 9658 leaves Section 7, the boundary then follows the northern edge of Section 7 eastward to the southwest corner of Section 5. The western edge of Section 5 becomes the boundary until it reaches the Swan-Clearwater Divide, which is southern boundary of the Sunset Ridge area. Non-motorized Backcountry About 450 acres in Section 11, adjacent to the Mission Mountains, is recommended for non-motorized backcountry, adding north-south habitat connectivity between the Sunset Ridge and the Jocko Trail Lindbergh Lake assessment areas. Two units in Section 11 (now national forest) were logged by Plum Creek Timber Company: a 98-acre stand clearcut in 1988 and a 58-acre stand clearcut in Lolo National Forest FJRA

31 This view looking toward the southeast from Sunset Ridge was taken from near where the old Sunset Point fire lookout once stood. Lakes Alva and Inez are shown to the left in the photo. Jonathan Finch photo Shaped by Nature The Sunset Ridge assessment area is shaped primarily by the forces of nature, with few signs of human intervention, other than trails. The composition of plant and animal communities is typical for the eastern slope of the Mission Mountains at elevations between 6,000-7,500 feet. The assessment area is almost entirely free of nonnative species. The only evidence of recent timber management and associated roads is in Section 11 above Beaver Creek, which is recommended for non-motorized backcountry. Opportunities for Solitude The Sunset Ridge assessment area offers superb opportunity for solitude. The view from the old Sunset Lookout site, though difficult to reach, is awe-inspiring. Other than Beaver Lake at the eastern edge, most of the assessment area can only be reached off-trail. Few people are willing to bushwhack through the dense, steep forests to appreciate the area s wild beauty. This is a place to challenge route-finding enthusiasts seeking adventure. Fish and Wildlife Sunset Ridge and Zimple Ridge to the east across Highway 83 form the Swan Clearwater Divide. This ridge system also divides the Flathead National Forest to the north and the Lolo National Forest to the south. The area has been identified as a key wildlife corridor connecting the Bob Marshall with the Mission Mountains and the Jocko area near Arlee. According to Swan Valley outfitter and Northwest Connections founder, Tom Parker, this ridge system is still important for wildlife. Given the unroaded condition, much of the assessment area is identified by the Forest Service as grizzly core. M-1 Road #s 9570, 9570Y, 9656, and are restricted with red gates due to their access to grizzly core areas. The Sunset Ridge area provides critical north-south habitat for Canada lynx, connecting the Swan and Clearwater valleys. The area provides the largest occupied lynx habitat in the Swan Valley. Wolverine and pine marten are also found here. A 99-percent-pure population of native westslope cutthroat trout inhabits a tributary of Beaver Creek in Sections 7 and 8. Beaver Lake is stocked with native westslope cutthroat trout. Forests Primarily a north-facing slope, the forests in the Sunset Ridge assessment area consists of lodgepole pine, western larch, whitebark pine and other tree species. In some areas, younger stands of whitebark pine are interspersed with lodgepole. Some whitebark pine microsites are doing well, according to Tom Parker. Foresters with the Flathead National Forest in 2014 attached synthetic mountain pine beetle pheromone packets to trees in a whitebark pine stand to 31

32 discourage the beetles from attacking the trees. Much of the Sunset Ridge assessment area burned in the 1919 fire. Centuries old, scattered fire-resistant species such as western larch remain among the younger, nearly 100-yearold trees. Only Sections 14 and 23 on the western edge missed this fire. Historic Uses The Sunset Point Lookout at 7,098 feet was active beginning in the 1930s until 1955 when the U.S. Forest Service removed it. A trapper cabin was located at the western edge of the Sunset Ridge assessment area. (Swan Valley Place Names, p. 172). Evidence of Logging Logging roads lead up the southern slopes of the Beaver Creek watershed to just below the Sunset Ridge assessment area. Logging has occurred in patches on Flathead National Forest land below these roads. Old stump tat the site of the Sunset Point fire lookout. The tree was probably cut for firewood. Access Remnants of an old pack trail, which led from Lindbergh Lake to Sunset Point Lookout and beyond to Buck Lake in the Mission Mountains Tribal, can still be found along Sunset Ridge. Access from the Flathead National Forest to Sunset Ridge areas is by bushwhacking up steep hillsides off U.S.F.S. M-1 road #s 9570, 9656 and Access to the Beaver Lake area is by a short trail from the end of U.S.F.S. road #4354 along Uhler Creek on the Lolo National Forest. Section 11, recommended for non-motorized backcountry, is accessed from the Beaver Creek trailhead for Trail #351. Beaver Creek Landscape Restoration Project The Sunset Ridge assessment area is within the Flathead National Forest s Beaver Creek Landscape Restoration Project Area. Proposed management actions could affect small acreages in the Sunset Ridge area. The recommendations in this report are intended to enhance the goals of the Beaver Creek project. Manageability None of the Sunset Ridge assessment area lies within the wildland urban interface as defined by the Seeley Swan Fire Plan. The nearest private residential land and private roads are more than a mile distant, buffered by Flathead National Forest. The roads in Section 11 should be decommissioned after fill planting in the section, if any, and after culverts (if any) are removed and weeds have been treated. All other old logging roads in the Sunset Ridge assessment area should also be decommissioned. No trails are needed or desirable in the Sunset Ridge assessment area. 32

33 Mission Mountains Sunset Ridge Assessment Area Non-motorized Backcountry Sunset Ridge Lolo NF FJRA 33

34 REFERENCES Belote, Travis; Dietz, Matt; Anderson, Mike, Using Land Cover Data to Evaluate Representation in. Lamar, Steve, Swan Valley Place Names: A Mosaic of History, Stories and Local Lore. Rumble Peak Geodata. Moore, William, R. Bud, Glacier Slough, Bud Moore Papers, Archives and Special Collections, Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library, the University of Montana Missoula. Moore, William, R. Bud, MWA, Consideration in Flathead Forest Plan Revision. Testimony, Montana Hearing. Moore, William, R. Bud, Hemlock Basin Historic Sites, Bud Moore Papers, Archives and Special Collections, Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library, The University of Montana Missoula. Swan Ecosystem Center, 2006, Elk Creek Conservation Area Management Plan. Swan Ecosystem Center, Swan Basin Restoration: Coordinated Approaches to Water, Wildlife, Forests, Wetlands and Native Fish. United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Conservation Strategy for Bull Trout on USFS Lands in Western Montana. USDA Forest Service, Northern Region; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Montana Field Office; Bitterroot National Forest, Flathead National Forest, Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest, Kootenai National Forest, Helena National Forest. U.S. Forest Service, Flathead National Forest, FSH , Evaluation of Un-Roaded Areas for Potential. U.S. Forest Service, Flathead National Forest, Forest Plan, stelprdb pdf. U.S. Forest Service, Flathead National Forest Geospatial Information, home/?cid=fsm9_042517&width=full. Forest Plan Data Inventoried Roadless Areas Recommended (1986 Forest Plan) Regen Harvest since 1974 Inventory Draft May 2014 Bull Trout Critical Habitat - Streams Bull Trout Critical Habitat - Lakes Wildland Urban Interface. Transportation National Forest System Roads (updated 8/29/2013) Other Roads - Roads other than National System Roads. (Updated 8/29/2013) Historical Roads - Roads that have been removed from the system (Updated 8/29/2013) U.S. Forest Service, Forest Service Handbook National Headquarters (WO), Washington, D.C., FSH Land Management Planning Handbook, Chapter 70, Evaluation. U.S. Forest Service, Flathead National Forest. Terrestrial Wildlife Species Review Process, Potential Species of Conservation Concern and Potential Species of Public Interest. stelprd pdf. Vernon, Suzanne, Montana Voices of the Swan: Stories from the Upper Swan Valley Historical Society. Upper Swan Valley Historical Society. 34

35 Attachment A Mission Mountain Additions Assessment Date October 3, 2014 Observer Area Name Dave Hadden, Anne Dahl Woodward Acreage ~2,500-3,000 Township, Range, Section Adjacent to T23N, R18W, Section 20 and portions of Sections 17, 18, 19, 30 and 31; T23N, R19W, portions of Sections 24, 25 and 36 on Mission Mountains divide. Yes No Describe: The southeast corner of Section 31 is adjacent to the north end of the Mission Mountains. USFS trail access Yes No Describe: There are no Forest Service trails in the area USFS trail name/# Evidence of historic trail Distance to nearest trail Evidence of dispersed/ primitive camping Evidence of historic uses or timber harvest Presence of M-1 Roads Predominant vegetation Streams, wetlands or fens Notable wildlife use, sensitive species Special ecological or geologic features Opportunities for solitude N/A Yes No Describe: A rough non-system trail leading to a large wet meadow in Section 31 can be found at the northeast corner of Section 31. I may be used by hunters or hunting outfitters. Yes No Describe: Yes No Describe: Old timber harvest is visible in the distance. Section 29, with gated roads in the South Woodward drainage, was harvested by Plum Creek Timber Co. This parcel is now in State ownership. Yes No Describe: Describe: The coniferous forest included whitebark pine, Engelmann spruce, lodgepole, and subalpine fir. Menziesia grew in the understory and sedges and one of the asters were found in the wet meadow. Describe: An ephemeral stream leads into the large wet meadow in Section 31. There is no outlet stream. Tributaries of South Woodward Creek originate in Sections 19, 30 and 31 (not visited). Describe: Recent signs of grizzly bear and elk. A goshawk and a red tail haw were sighted. A saddle in the southeast quarter of Section 31 is a likely connects wildlife with the Fatty Lake area to the south. Describe: Grizzly bear diggings had churned the soil in Section 31 s large wet meadow. Describe: This remote area is difficult to reach. It provides superb opportunity for solitude, primitive recreation, and practice with compass or GPS. 35

36 Attachment B Mission Mountain Additions Assessment Date September 1, 2014 Observer Area Name Dave Hadden, Anne Dahl Piper Fatty Acreage 4,400 Township, Range, Section Adjacent to T22N, R18W, Sections 4, 9, 10, 14, 15, 23 and 26 Yes No Describe: Sections 4, 9, 16, 23 and 26 are adjacent to the MMW. USFS trail access Yes No Describe: The Piper Fatty assessment area can be reached by USFS Piper Lake Trail 119, which passes through Section 26 and off-trail from Road USFS trail name/# Piper Lake Trail 119 Evidence of historic trail Distance to nearest trail Evidence of dispersed/ primitive camping Evidence of historic uses or timber harvest Presence of M-1 Roads Predominant vegetation Yes No Describe: A non-system trail at the north end of the assessment area was originally built by fire fighters in 1934 to reach a fire that had started near Fatty Lake. This trail is not found on USFS maps and is not signed. The trail is popular with fisherman who have discovered it. The trail should not be improved, maintained or signed. The Piper Lake Trail 119 passes through Section 26 in the assessment area. Yes No Describe: This area is difficult to access and is not favorable for camping. Yes No Describe: Fisherman have long used the trail to reach Fatty Lake in the MMW. Timber has been harvested in the former Plum Creek Timber Company sections 9, 3 and 23. The area is naturally recovering and the roads are growing in. Yes No Describe: The Fatty Creek Road and the Piper Lake Road 966 are main access routes to the Piper Lake, Cedar Lake, and Fatty Lake trails in the MMW. Gated roads and (Sections 9 and 10), 90610, 90611, (Section 3) are grown in. Road (Section 23) has been recently used for timber harvest. Describe: The forests in this assessment area are dense and diverse: Tree species include Douglas-fir, subalpine fir, western larch, Engelmann spruce, lodgepole pine, scattered western white pine and cottonwood. The shrub and forb understory is also diverse. Species include alder, huckleberry, Menzesia, thimbleberry, arnica, bear grass and many more plants. The assessment area is generally free of noxious weeds. Streams, wetlands or fens Notable wildlife use, sensitive species Special ecological or geologic features Opportunities for solitude Describe: Fatty Creek flows out of Fatty Lake and passes through Section 4. In September 2014, the stream held little water and was dry in several reaches. A vernal pond in Section 4 was also dry in September. Cedar Creek flows through Sections 23 and 14. The flow in September 2014 was steady but low. Piper Creek flows through Section 26. This stream carries more water than Fatty and Cedar Creeks. Other small seasonal streams and wet areas emerge from the steep slopes of the assessment area. Describe: Wolf scat and elk tracks were spotted along the trail to Fatty Lake in September The assessment area offers habitat security for most wildlife common to the Swan Valley at elevations ranging from 4,000 7,000 feet. Populations of native westslope cutthroat trout are found in Cedar and Piper creeks. Cedar Creek may have a nearly pure population of this native trout. Describe: Mid-elevation argillite cliff faces mark some of the steep slopes in the area. Describe: The Piper Fatty assessment area is difficult to access. As such it offers ample opportunity for solitude and reflection, and for the challenge of off-trail route finding. 36

37 Attachment C Mission Mountain Additions Assessment Date Observer Area Name Acreage 1,600 Township, Range, Section Adjacent to Amy Robinson, Dave Hadden, Anne Dahl Elk Creek Basin T20N, R17W, Sec. 17 & 18; T20N, R18W, Sec. 13 Yes No Describe: Section 13 is adjacent; Section 18 is cattycorner. USFS trail access Yes No Describe: The non-system trail through the Elk Creek Basin is not found on USFS maps. USFS trail name/# N/A Evidence of historic trail Distance to nearest trail Evidence of dispersed/ primitive camping Evidence of historic uses or timber harvest Presence of M-1 Roads Predominant vegetation Streams, wetlands or fens Notable wildlife use, sensitive species Special ecological or geologic features Opportunities for solitude Yes No Describe: A long-used trail, with many blazed trees and cut out logs, leads to the forks of Elk Creek in the MMW. This trail was used by early Swan Valley settlers in the first half of the 20 th Century. Several families made annual trips to catch bull trout, a primary food source. The trail was probably also used by Salish and Pend d Oreille (Voices of the Swan). This non-system trail continues to be cleared by users for hunting access and potential bull trout poaching. The creek has been closed to fishing for many decades to protect bull trout. Some evidence of chainsaw use was evident within the wilderness boundary. Not much sign of recent use was yet evident in July. ½ mile Yes No Describe: There has been a primitive campsite on Elk Creek in Section 18 for several years. On July 23, 2014 a fire pit and two sawed log stumps used for sitting were found. We dismantled the fire pit and naturalized the site. Several short trails disperse from the campsite, indicating consistent use in the area. Alleged caches and illegal camps have been reported for many years in the Elk Creek Basin by Swan Ecosystem Center s Mission Mountains backcountry rangers, in and outside wilderness. Yes No Describe: The timber in the SW ¼ of the NW ¼ of Section 17 was logged when Plum Creek owned the land. The young lodgepole appear to be years old. This portion might serve as a buffer for security, while the forest regenerates. Yes No Describe: Access to the Elk Creek Basin is off an M-1 road in Section 17. Describe: The Elk Creek Basin is heavily forested with a diversity of tree species (lodgepole, larch, birch, alpine fir, Douglas-fir, western red cedar, Engelmann spruce). The understory is equally diverse (willows, alder, dogwood, shepherdia, maple, huckleberry, devil s club, brachen fern, groundsel, cianothus). Describe: Elk Creek runs through the basin. A few small streams enter from the north and south. Riparian wetlands add diversity in plant species and provide habitat for diverse wildlife species. Elk Creek is fed by cold upwellings, which make the creek prime habitat for bull trout. Describe: Elk Creek is a primary bull trout stream, at times considered the most important bull trout stream in Montana. Due to its remoteness, the Elk Creek Basin is provides secure refugia for bull trout, grizzly bears, other carnivores and elk. For this reason, trails should be discouraged in the Elk Creek Basin. Describe: The Elk Creek Basin is a fairly broad and deep glacial canyon, with a rich riparian zone. In July, bird song included western tanager, Cassin s vireo, warbling vireo, winter wren, yellow rumped warbler, and dark eyed junco. Blue grouse and an American dipper were spotted. Describe: Given its remoteness and the difficulty of access, the Elk Creek Basin offers genuine opportunity for solitude and reflection, seldom found elsewhere in much of today s designated wilderness. 37

38 Attachment D Mission Mountain Additions Assessment Date September 25, 2014 Observer Area Name Acreage Township, Range, Section Adjacent to Amy Robinson, Anne Dahl Glacier Slough 2,000 acres T19N, R17W, unroaded portions of Sections 9, 10, 15, 16, 20, 21 and 28. Yes No Describe: The upper end of the Glacier Slough canyon abuts the Mission Mountains in Section 28. USFS trail access Yes No Describe: A ~1.5 mile trail, maintained by the U.S.F.S.. #481, leads from the Herrick Run Road #79 near Lindbergh Lake campground to the slough outlet. USFS trail name/# N/A #481 Evidence of historic trail Distance to nearest trail Evidence of dispersed/ primitive camping Evidence of historic uses or timber harvest Presence of M-1 Roads Predominant vegetation Yes No Describe: An old trail that shows up on the 1979 Mission Mountains Map as trail #33 can still be found. It leads from U.S.F.S road #9575 near Elbow Lookout over the ridge and down to Glacier Creek. It is the old trail to Glacier Lake from the lodge at Lindbergh Lake. The trail was heavily used in the 1940s by people on horseback (Dan MacQuarrie phone call; he hasn t been on it since the late 1960s). Trail #481 that leads to the slough used to cross Glacier Creek and continue north and east downstream of the slough outlet to the Kraft Creek Road #903. It may be possible to find remnants of this trail. Yes No Describe: Yes No Describe: From the slough outlet a timber harvest unit can just barely be spotted on the ridge top to the west beyond the assessment area in an old Plum Creek section, now national forest. An old trapper cabin stood on a low hill near the slough outlet. It may still be possible to find the outline of the cabin. Yes No Describe: Describe: Large fire-resistant larch dominate. The forest understory is diverse. The area burned in Streams, wetlands or fens Notable wildlife use, sensitive species Special ecological or geologic features Opportunities for solitude Describe: Glacier Creek forms a wide slough with shrubs and emergent vegetation after spring run-off. The slough is a lake during late spring and early summer. There are several associated wetlands and wet meadows to the sides and upstream of the main slough. Notlimah Lake wetland area is perched on the western ridge near the head of Kraft Creek in Section 16. Describe: Grizzlies, moose, muskrat, bald eagle, Describe: The sloughs of Glacier Slough are wide wetland areas connected by Glacier Creek. Notlimah Lake is a seasonal wetland on the east facing slope above the creek and sloughs. Describe: Other than the outlet of the main slough, the area is rarely visited, offering ample opportunity for solitude and primitive and unconfined recreation. 38

39 Attachment E Mission Mountain Additions Assessment Date 9/21/14 Observer Area Name Acreage Township, Range, Section Adjacent to Anne Dahl Jocko Trail and Lindbergh Lake 2,500 acres T19N, R17W, portions of Sections 34 and 35; T18N, R17W, portions of Sections 2, 3 and Section 11, T18N, R17W, is recommended for non-motorized backcountry. Yes No Describe: The area is adjacent to the Mission Mountains in Sections 2, 3 and 4. USFS trail access Yes No Describe: Three system trails lead through the assessment area to the Mission Mountains. USFS trail name/# N/A Trail #351 from the Meadow Bunyan Trailhead to Crystal Lake, #490 from Lindbergh Lake inlet to Crystal Lk., and #34 from Lindbergh Lake up the North Jocko trail to its junction with 351 from Beaver Creek. Evidence of historic Yes No Describe: trail Distance to nearest N/A trail Evidence of dispersed/ Yes No Describe: primitive camping Evidence of historic Yes No Describe: uses or timber harvest Presence of M-1 Yes No Describe: Road #9572 leads into Section 4 near Meadow Lake. A Plum Roads Creek road map indicates two old roads on east side of Section 2. Predominant vegetation Describe: Larch, Douglas-fir, lodgepole and Engelmann spruce dominate depending on slope and aspect, which is highly variable in this area. Streams, wetlands or fens Notable wildlife use, sensitive species Describe: The Swan River flows through the assessment area and into Lindbergh Lake at its inlet. Describe: Four rare plant species are found at Meadow Lake. Grizzlies, moose and elk, among many other native species take advantage of the habitat security. Special ecological or geologic features Opportunities for solitude Describe: The inlet of Lindbergh Lake and Meadow Lake provide nesting and rearing habitat for several waterfowl species. Describe: Off of the system trails, this is wild, remote country for people seeking solitude and unconfined recreation. 39

40 Attachment F Mission Mountain Additions Assessment Date 8/25/14 Observer Area Name Acreage Township, Range, Section Adjacent to Amy Robinson, Dave Hadden, Anne Dahl Sunset Ridge 7 square miles The Sunset Ridge assessment area includes the unroaded portions of Sections 12, 13, 14 and 23 in T18N, R17W, and Sections 7, 8 and 18 in T18N, R16W. Also portions of Section 5, 6, 7 and 8, T18N, R16W. Yes No Describe: The west end in Section 23 is adjacent to the MMW. The southern edge is adjacent to proposed wilderness in the Lolo National Forest. USFS trail access Yes No Describe: Uncertain if Trail #308 is still on inventory. USFS trail name/# Evidence of historic trail Distance to nearest trail Evidence of dispersed/ primitive camping Evidence of historic uses or timber harvest Presence of M-1 Roads Predominant vegetation Streams, wetlands or fens N/A Yes No Describe: An old pack (#308) trail from N of Beaver Lake to the old Sunset Peak Lookout and beyond to the west is barely recognizable. Blaze trees can be found. The trail shows up on some maps, but finding it requires difficult scouting. The Beaver Creek trailhead is about an air mile distant. Yes No Describe: Yes No Describe: The Sunset Peak lookout (1930s -50s) offered excellent vantage north up the Swan Valley, east to the Swan Range, and south to the Clearwater valley. The lookout was removed in Remnants of the outhouse and strings of guy wire and phone wire can be found. No evidence remains of the fire tower structure. Stumps remain from trees that were cut for firewood. Timber has been managed below M-1 roads #9570 and #9656, and in in places above the road for a hundred yards or so. Yes No Describe: Roads #9570 and #9576 delineate most of the northern boundary. Roads #9658 and #9658B are west of Beaver Lake, just outside the assessment area. Other old roads in the area are not shown on Forest Service maps and are barely recognizable in satellite imagery. [If we expand the boundary to exclude the cherry stem of Road #9570 then add the following: M-1 Road # 9570 is within the proposed boundary, however, is in an advanced state of re-vegetation and is substantially unnoticeable (???) ] Describe: The Sunset Ridge assessment area is predominately a steep north facing slope with dense larch, lodgepole, alpine fir and whitebark pine up to 7,000 feet. Much of the ridge burned in the 1919 fire. A deep forested basin to the east and below Sunset Peak is shaded with diverse tree species. Though whitebark pine are in decline along Sunset Ridge, living trees remain. Clark s nutcrackers were at work in August 2014 harvesting and planting their seeds. The whitebark pine might benefit from planting of locally collected seed by humans. The forests in Sections 5, 6, 7 & 8 including Beaver Lake are also dense and diverse. Whitebark pine is less prevalent or non-existent at these lower elevations. Menziesia ferruginea and huckleberry on north facing and shaded slopes and grouse whortleberry on the ridgetop are common understory species. At the location of the old fire lookout, grasses and wildflowers thrive on the exposed bluff. The Sunset Ridge assessment area is free of noxious weeds, though weeds are found lightly scattered on the roads below, including knapweed, and orange and yellow hawkweed. Describe: A few small wetlands are found within the assessment area s lower elevations. The ridge is dry. Seeps and small streams emerge on the slopes. 40

41 Attachment F continued Notable wildlife use, sensitive species Special ecological or geologic features Opportunities for solitude Describe: The Sunset Ridge area is within a federally designated grizzly linkage zone. The ridge provides connectivity for all wide ranging species, including deer, elk, wolves bears, and wolverine between the MMW, Jocko area and the Bob MW. Much of the ridge is identified by the Flathead National Forest as Grizzly Bear Core Area. Describe: Bluffs of red argillite cliffs are exposed below Sunset Peak. This bluff may be a cirque basin created at the very upper extent of the valley glacier during the last glacial period. Its location and the resulting promontory provide a very unique and stunning view of the Swan and Clearwater valleys as well as the full extend of the Swan Range. Very unique and special. Describe: Given its remoteness and the difficulty of access, the Sunset Ridge offers genuine opportunity for solitude and reflection, seldom found elsewhere in much of today s designated wilderness. Access should not be improved. The views from Sunset Peak inspire reflection. 41

42 Attachment G 42

43 Attachment H 43