|
Services, Getting There Hikes & Trails Related Areas Map Information USGS topos: |
Wilderness Area Status BLM-inventoried Land with Wilderness Character in the Carson City District Resource Management Plan. Year Designated: Management Managing Agency: Bureau of Land Management Area Description Rugged hills rise high above the surrounding lowlands, providing a stark and arid habitat for many plants and animals. In the lower elevations, saltbush is predominant and covers most of the land. This small shrub clings to the minimal precipitation, and lends a grey color to the already desolate landscape. In the higher elevations, a larger diversity of life is apparent. Sage and junipers carpet the mountains, and lend coloration to the hills. Rabbitbrush is also common, along with bunchgrasses and other desert shrubs. Although desolate, animal life is common to this area and many species thrive in this otherwise harsh environment. Reptiles and small rodents are most common, basking in the sunlight and hiding among the brush. Predators including foxes, coyotes, and mountain lions also call this region home and can occasionally be spotted. This LWC is also an excellent habitat for bighorn sheep. Tall rocky buttes and rough canyons in the central portions of the area provide an ideal environment. Other large grazers are also found here, in addition to many birds and other animals. This area is refuge for life, unhampered by the touch of humanity. In the entire region, there is little development and few intruding routes. If left un-managed this area will become entirely re-naturalized in a short amount of time. This is partially due to the Stewart Valley ACEC (Area of Critical Environmental Concern), which sits within and adjacent to the eastern portion of this area. The Stewart Valley ACEC encompasses sedimentary hills that are very rich in paleontological value. The area has been entirely closed to vehicle and ATV traffic, and extensive work has been performed to eliminate and re-naturalize all past routes. Even signs of historic paleontological digs have been removed from the area. The deep canyons and rugged landscape provide an environment for many to enter with a continued feeling of isolation. In these lands one gets a sense that nature is in control, and humanity is distant. There is little sound but the wind through the ridges and the occasional call of a wild animal. The modern world and cares of society seem an eon away, and one feels truly alone. It would be hard to achieve a greater sense of solitude, and it is obvious that few venture into these lands each year.
|
Do you like this page?
