May-June 2009 Tiffany Wilderness Evaluation WILDERNESS EVALUATION TIFFANY - 608019 22,954 acres OVERVIEW The Tiffany Potential Wilderness Area (PWA) was originally inventoried as roadless during RARE I. The 1979 RARE II process allocated the area to non-wilderness management. Between 1979 and 1984, approximately 1,000 acres were impacted by roads and logging. The 2006 inventory removed approximately 1,006 acres from previous inventory due to road construction and logging; 1,904 acres were added to the previous inventory as they meet the criteria for a potential wilderness area as described in Forest Service Handbook (FSH) 1909.12, Chapter 70. The following chart depicts the 1989 Okanogan National Forest Land and Resource Plan allocations. Table 1--Management Area Percentages (rounded) Okanogan National Forest 04 05 08 12 18 25 Semi-primitive Recreation/ Research Lynx Designated Timber/ Non-motorized Scenery Natural Habitat/ Botanical Range Recreation Area Wood Area 54% 9% 2% 9% 10% 16 Location and Access The PWA lies within T. 36 and 37 N., R. 22 and 23 E., Okanogan County, Washington northwest of Conconully. The Tiffany PWA is situated on the western portion of the Tonasket Ranger District, Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest. From Conconully, access is provided over county and National Forest System roads near the North Fork and Middle Fork of Salmon Creek. Access is also afforded by National Forest System roads #37, #38, #3820 and #39, and by several popular hiking and horseback riding trails. Geography and Topography Forested areas interspersed with high-elevation meadows are typical of the area. Lower slopes around the “Tiffanies” are covered with mixed-conifer and lodgepole pine forests. Some of the south-facing slopes are more open. All the high peaks within the PWA are sparsely vegetated and rocky with relatively steep slopes. Current Uses The entire area is grazed under livestock permits. The area is a very popular recreation area for snowmobile users in the winter. Through summer months the area is popular with hikers and horseback riders. DRAFT Colville, Okanogan-Wenatchee Plan Revision Product Page 1 of 12 May-June 2009 Tiffany Wilderness Evaluation Appearance and Surroundings The mountains in the PWA are the most prominent features. The high, rocky summits, which are covered with snow all winter long and into the spring, are quite scenic. Much of the area has been burned over due to the Isabel, McCay and Tripod Complex fires. Despite the fires, there are still large areas of dead and dying Engelmann spruce and lodgepole pine due to years of drought and beetle infestations. Key Attractions Tiffany Lake, Rock Mountain, Tiffany Mountain, Middle Tiffany Mountain, Clark Peak, and Mount McCay are key attractions along with various meadows and small lakes. The ease of winter access from Conconully is also a key attraction. CAPABILITY FOR WILDERNESS Level of Natural and Undeveloped Environment The area encompasses a cluster of mountain peaks on the major ridge dividing the Chewuch River and Okanogan River drainages. The area includes five peaks over 7,000 feet. Small streams radiate in all directions from this cluster of mountains. Elevations range from 4,000 feet near Salmon Meadows to approximately 8,245 at the top of Tiffany Mountain. Most of the area appears as natural and undeveloped. Livestock grazing activities are apparent during the months of June through September. The most substantial impacts upon the natural integrity of the area include the old Bernhardt Mine site, several pasture fences and system trails, beetle-killed trees, and overstocked stand conditions. The area is dominated by the five peaks; barren, rocky tops surrounded by heather meadows, with conifer forests all around lower elevations. Eastern brook trout have been introduced to the Chewuch watershed. Few if any noxious weeds have been introduced to the area. Water quality data is not available for the PWA; however, due to the relatively low level disturbance water quality is assumed to be high. There may be localized disturbances due to grazing activities. The Tiffany PWA is minimally impaired by light pollution. The entire PWA rates as Class 2 on the Bortle Scale. A Class 2 Typical Truly Dark Sky represents the darkest skies viewed in the continental United States. The summer Milky Way is highly structured to the unaided eye. Any clouds in the sky are visible only as dark holes or voids in the starry background. No light domes from population centers are visible. Outstanding Opportunities for Solitude or Primitive and Unconfined Recreation No portion of the area is over three miles from a road, and most sites can be easily reached in less than one day thus providing limited opportunities for challenge. The area is popular for the primitive activities of hiking, fishing, hunting, and horseback riding in the summer months. The area is also used by mountain bikers. During the winter, the area is a very DRAFT Colville, Okanogan-Wenatchee Plan Revision Product Page 2 of 12 May-June 2009 Tiffany Wilderness Evaluation popular snowmobiling site. Thus, opportunities for solitude are limited. Tiffany Lake gets the most use, and is very popular with anglers. Special Features The area is within the core recovery area for the Canada lynx and the North Cascades Grizzly Bear Recovery Area, and provides source habitat for wolverine. The gray wolf is both federally and state listed as endangered. These species have very limited distributions in the region. In addition, these areas provide examples of boreal forest ecosystems, which also have limited distribution in the region. The Tiffany PWA, in conjunction with expansive contiguous habitat outside the PWA, supports the largest population of lynx in the lower 48 states. Freija’s fritillary and long-dash skipper are both butterflies on the state’s monitor list. Columbia spotted frogs and northern goshawks are on the state’s sensitive list. All of these species are reported to occur in or near the area. The Rogers Lake Research Natural Area and the Tiffany Botanical Area are within the PWA. The Cultural Resource Overview of the Twisp-Winthrop-Conconully Planning Unit (Bennett, 1979) identified evidence of several old lookouts and past mining activity in the area. Manageability of Boundaries The area is a compact unit except for a long narrow finger on the southeast corner. Boundaries for virtually the entire area would need to be located on contour lines to maintain an area large enough to be managed as wilderness. Because it is surrounded by open roads and snowmobile routes, managing non-conforming uses entering the area would be difficult. The long, narrow southern finger has a shape and size where it would be difficult to protect the wilderness character. AVAILABILITY FOR WILDERNESS Recreation The area provides semi-primitive, non-motorized recreation opportunities in the summer and provides winter motorized recreation. The primary recreation features in the area are the easily-accessed lakes and the visually appealing open ridges and mountain peaks. Several hiking, horseback riding, and snowmobile trails provide access through the area. Use in the area is moderate to high because of relatively easy access and close proximity to communities. Day hiking and horseback riding make up most of the use during the summer season. The area is very popular for snowmobiling in the winter and becomes a popular spot for hunters in the fall. Most recreation use occurs around Tiffany Lake, which is a remarkably fertile lake for such a high elevation. It produces good catches of trout during its ice-free period. DRAFT Colville, Okanogan-Wenatchee Plan Revision Product Page 3 of 12 May-June 2009 Tiffany Wilderness Evaluation Table 2--Miles of recreation trails Motorized Trails Non-motorized Trails Snowmobile Trails 0 22 8 Wildlife Canada lynx is federally listed as threatened. Freija’s fritillary and long-dash skipper are both butterflies on the state’s monitor list. Columbia spotted frogs and northern goshawks are on the state’s sensitive list. The gray wolf is both federally and state listed as endangered. All of these species are reported to occur in or near the area. The entire area is part of a larger contiguous expanse of prime Canada lynx habitat, which has the highest reported concentration of lynx in the 48 contiguous states. Grizzly bears, federally listed as threatened, may occur within the area. This PWA lies within the North Cascades Grizzly Bear Recovery Zone. The Tiffany PWA is part of a series of potential wilderness areas along the western edge of the Tonasket Ranger District that combine with the Pasayten Wilderness to provide important habitat for wide ranging carnivores. Each of these areas is located in close proximity to another PWA or the Pasayten Wilderness, increasing the importance of these areas as security habitat due to the relative ease of carnivore movement between these areas. Wide-ranging carnivores, such as wolves, wolverines, and grizzly bears, need secure habitats free from human interference, and the Tiffany PWA adds to the availability of these habitat on the west side of the Tonasket Ranger District. Additionally, this area connects with wide-ranging carnivore habitat through the other potential wilderness areas, into the Pasayten Wilderness, and then into Canada. The higher elevations, particularly any cirque basins, may provide habitat for wolverines. Approximately 580 acres of mixed-conifer old growth have been field verified, providing some of the most productive habitat types for wildlife. Snag numbers for cavity dwellers are estimated to be high in mixed-conifer stands and low in the lodgepole pine stands. Seven ridges are identified as providing winter habitat for blue grouse. Numerous other wildlife species common to the national forest inhabit the area. About 4,500 acres of Canada lynx habitat were burned in the 2003 Isabel Fire and even more acres were burned during the Tripod Fire of 2006.