RED BUTTES WILDERNESS IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

Summers in the Red Buttes Wilderness tend to be nents responded a few years later with a brochure warm and dry. Aside from occasional thunder- entitled "Red Buttes: Wilderness or Wasteland?" As storms, little precipitation falls from June to October. a result of the Forest Service's Roadless Area Re- Winters can produce a deep snow level along the view and Evaluations (I and 11)of the 1970s, Red north slope of the Siskiyou Crest (preventing easy Buttes (then referred to as the Kangaroo Roadless access until May-June), but the lower elevations of Area) was recommended for "release" to multiple the Wilderness in the Butte Fork Canyon rarely re- use management, but the outcome in California was tain snow for more than a few days. held up by a 1979 lawsuit (State of California vs. Bergland) which affected all National Forest road- The "high use,, recreation season typically begins in less areas in the state. In 1984, Congress broke the June, when the lake basins are accessible, and legal logjam with the Oregon Wilderness Act (which lasts into September. Most recreation activities (hik- designated as wilderness the Tannen Lakes/Sucker ing, camping, fishing, horse packing) are concen- Creek area in Oregon) and the subsequent Califor- trated in the two major lake basins (Tannen Lakes in nia Wilderness Act (designating the California the Sucker Creek drainage and Azalea/Lonesome lands, as well as amending the Oregon bill to in- Lakes in the upper Butte Fork Canyon). Due to close clude a small "connecting" parcel of Oregon land in road access, upper Hello Canyon is popular for day the Steve Fork drainage). hikes; the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail also skirts this portion of the Wilderness. The Boundary Trail (following the crest of the Siskiyous), the Butte Fork Trail, the Steve Fork Trail and the Fir Glade Trail MANAGEMENT GOAL FOR THE RED are the most popular routes to and through Red BUTTES WILDERNESS Buttes Wilderness. Wilderness is a distinct resource to be managed for the use and enjoyment of the American people in HISTORY such manner as will leave it unimpaired for future use and enjoyment as wilderness. Historic uses of the Red Buttes Wilderness have included mining, stock grazing, hunting, fishing, hik- The Red Buttes Wilderness will be administered to ing and camping. Recreational use of the present minimize the impact of human use and technology Red Buttes Wilderness probably increased after upon the wilderness resource. In this area, humans construction of Forest Service trails in the 1920s will be temporary visitors. The forces of nature will and again after World War II, with construction of dominate the landscape and human activity will be mining and logging roads along the perimeter of the limited to that of the unobtrusive observer. area, on-going into the 1970s. Management of the Red Buttes Wilderness will seek Local Forest Service officials informally discussed to minimize the physical and social impacts of use the concept of "backcountry," wilderness, or primi- rather than use per se. Wilderness exemplifies free- tive area status for Red Buttes as early as 1946. The dom, but it is defined more by the absence of hu- area contained in the present Red Buttes Wilder- man impact than by an absence of human control. ness, because of its remoteness and its relatively Management will seek to preserve spontaneity of uneconomic mineral and timber resources, re- use and as much freedom from regimentation as mained unroaded. (Motorcycles were permitted in possible while preserving the naturalness of the the area but, with the exception of the Tannen Lakes wilderness resource, its opportunity for solitude or vicinity, motorcycling use was minor.) Trails of the primitive recreation, and its scenic, scientific, edu- vicinity were featured in backpacking publications, cational, and historical values. further drawing attention to the "unspoiled quality" of the area. During the late 1960s-early 1970s, pub- To the extent that the wilderness resource is not lic concern and controversy arose over the long- impaired, the Red Buttes Wilderness will be man- range management of Red Buttes. The Forest Serv- aged to provide opportunities for primitive types of ice produced a "Decision for Butte Fork" public recreation featuring solitude; physical and mental information brochure in 1970, detailing the agency's challenge; freedom from the intrusion of unnatural preliminary study of the area; wilderness propo- sights, sounds and odors; and the chance to travel

E - 2 Rogue River National Forest Plan