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Wilderness Area Status
Designated Wilderness Area
Year Designated: 2004
Act or Law: Lincoln County Conservation, Recreation and Development Act of 2004
Acres: 25800
State Region: Eastern Nevada
County Regions: Lincoln
Management
Managing Agency: Bureau of Land Management
Local District: Ely Field Office
Contact Info: (775) 289-1800
702 North Industrial Way HC 33 Box 33500 Ely, NV89301
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Area Description
The South Pahroc Range is extremely rugged with deeply-cut canyons, high ridges, large rounded boulders and heavily forested expanses. Much of the range is a solitary volcanic massif composed of varying colored layers of welded tuff. The lower elevations are gently rolling bajada.
Rocks
The mountain range creates an "island in the sky" effect. Moderately deep, steep-walled drainages cut across the mountain from east to west. Differential weathering of welded tuff layers has created numerous pockets, holes, columns and the ubiquitous, large rounded boulders. Balancing rocks look like stacked bagels.
Flora
The rocky geologic features are interlaced with stands of pinyon-juniper, white fir and aspen, forming isolated glades that provide shady solitude.
Fauna
Mule deer, mountain lion, newly reintroduced bighorn sheep, golden eagles and prarie falcons.
Recreation
Hiking and camping is good here. Climbers and rock scramblers will find challenging routes that culminate in scenic overlooks atop gargantuan geologic features. Vantage points for hikers provide a view of huge empty desert valleys, interrupted by intervening chains of more distant mountains. Rock hounds may find opalescent feldspar crystals, while obsidian "Apache tears" and perlite occur in local deposits.
This wilderness is a component of the Bureau of Land Management's National Conservation Lands.
Wildlife:
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