Pavant Mountains

"The Pavant is a curious admixture of plateau and sierra, the eastern side being tabular in form and detail, while the western side is a common mountain front, like many others found in the Great Basin... Right at our backs are the lively tints of the Tertiaries in the Pavant; beds of pink, carmine, and cream, alternating with almost pure white, and with a rigorously even stratification. A stronger contrast it is difficult to imagine."

Description

The Pavant Mountains offer a diversity of experiences to the visitor: timbered slopes, open high country, long rugged ridges, improbable tufa formations and steep canyons lined with majestic red rock. As geologist Clarence Dutton noted, the distinctive mix of mountain and plateau country found in the Pavant Range gives the visitor a sense of wonder at the variety that abounds in the natural world. From the gently rising sage steppe and mountain brush slopes on the southern side of the range, to the auburn serpentine canyons of the east central front to the elongated precipitous sheer wall fronting the Round valley on the northeastern side of the range, the eastern side of the Pavant is a pleasant mixture that reminds the sightseer of many better known parts of the Colorado Plateau. The western half of the range is piled with volcanic peaks, thickly forested with aspen and conifers, and is reminiscent of the high peaks of the Great Basin. There are few places where one can enjoy such diverse views as the Pavant.

The area contains a stunning diversity of ecosystem types. The Central Basin and Range and Wasatch and Uinta Mountains level III Ecoregions are represented in the unit, with eight level IV subtypes present: the Sagebrush Basins and Slopes subsection, the Woodland and Shrub Covered Low Mountains subsection, the Semiarid Foothills subsection, the Wasatch Montane Zone subsection, the High Plateaus subsection, and the Alpine Zone subsection. The Pavant Range contains the following roadless areas: Copley's, Coyote Hollow, Flat Canyon, North Pavant, Pavant, Pyramids/Dog Valley, Strawberry Canyons/Beehive Peak, and Three Creeks ­ Graveyard Hollow. The roadless areas here cover approximately 346,000 acres. When considered for wilderness, the main section of the popular Paiute ATV trail has been excluded from the Utah Forest Network's proposal. Other areas that have seen serious abuse in the past by off road vehicles are included within our proposal to encourage restoration and responsible use in the future. The highly scenic and ecologically varied qualities of the landscape, nearly unlimited hiking and rock climbing opportunities, stunning long range views, deep and rugged canyons, and presence of threatened, sensitive and endangered species make the area an excellent candidate for wilderness protection. Containing a wide variety of ecosystem types, the area is important as year-round wildlife habitat, and as a repository for natural appearing landscapes.

Threats

The area faces threats from ORV riders who violate non-motorized trails and create ORV travel ways by repeated cross-country riding; and from excessive livestock grazing and large scale range vegetation manipulation, ostensibly to increase available forage for domestic livestock. Home to the Paiute ATV trail, the area receives heavy use by ATVs. Though many individuals stay on marked trails, there is an excessive proliferation of unplanned routes that scar the hillsides near the community of Richfield. In the near future, The Fishlake National Forest will close the bulk of the forest to unregulated cross-country travel in favor of system of designated routes. The Forest has the opportunity, through wilderness and roadless area designations, to eliminate rogue routes that have damaged watersheds, soils, and wildlife, and allow for restoration.

Location

Located to the east of the community of Richfield, UT, the Pavant Range is northeast of the junction of Interstates 15 and 70. The area is accessed by dirt roads from I-15 on the west, state highway 50 on the east, and Interstate 70 on the south. A high standard forest road accesses the eastern edge of the geographic area from Richfield on the southeast and from the community of Fillmore on the east. Some of the best hiking in the area is found in the exceptionally beautiful South Cedar Ridge Canyon on trail # 028. About halfway up the canyon, hikers can also choose to ascend Mill Canyon. These canyons can be accessed from the top along forest road 096, or from the bottom by finding a gravel freeway overpass near the exit off I-70 at Sigurd. Other trails accessible in the northern portion of the district from forest road 096 atop the range include the Chalk Creek Canyon trail, #019, trail #013 near Rock Canyon, trail #010 down Maple Hollow near Coffee Peak, and trail #024 down Chokecherry Canyon. At Coffee Peak where forest road 096 ends, hikers have the opportunity for a multi-day trek along the stunning ridgeline to Noon Rock Peak and beyond, exploring enticing side canyons such as Loafers, Wild Goose, and Raspberry along the way. The central part of the range offers hiking in Sunset Canyon on trail #034, Crazy Hollow on trail #127 or Leavitt Canyon on trail #035. The trails above are accessible from Forest Road 500, which is accessible from Richfield or Fillmore. On the southern portion of the district, hiking is inviting along Whiskey Spring Creek along trail #363 or up Pole Creek on trail #044. Both these trails are accessed from paved roads near Fremont Indian State Park in Clear Creek Canyon. For the traveler looking for short hikes, many appealing trails are found originating in Fremont Indian State Park. These trails offer petroglyphs, archaeological, and pioneer ruins. They include the Newspaper Rock trail, the Canyon of Life, the Alma Christensen trail, the Canyon Overlook trail and the Cave of 100 Hands. More information on these trails can be found at the state park visitors center.

Wilderness Characteristics

Geology and Landforms

Extremely diverse, the area is roughly divided in half by geology. The eastern section is composed of sedimentary formations of sandstone, shale and limestone. Erosion of these rocks has carved the appealing structures of Beehive Peak, Strawberry Canyon, and North and South Cedar Ridge Canyons. The northern portion of the range is a nearly fifteen mile long ridge that is seemingly unscaleable. The majestic cliffs hover nearly four thousand feet above Round Valley. The western portion of the range is chiefly volcanic, exhibiting fine collections of peak and valleys. The extreme southern portion of the Pavant bordering Clear Creek Canyon is characterized by volcanic ash flows, and is located at the northern tip of the highly mineralized Marysvale Volcanic field. Sulphur and geothermal activity are found in the southwest potion of the district. Unusual conglomerates, faulting where older formations have been thrust over younger ones, significant plant, vertebrate, and invertebrate fossils are all found in the region. The area contains many scenic peaks, capped by Mine Camp peak, also known as White Pine Peak, at 10,222 feet.

TES species

Threatened, endangered, or sensitive species known to occur in the area are:

Plant Communities

Elevation change in the Pavant Range gives rise to diverse habitat types including Douglas-fir, white fir, alpine meadow, aspen, ponderosa pine, limber pine, mountain brush, curly-leaf mountain mahogany, gambel oak, mountain maple, sagebrush-grass, pinion-juniper, and snowberry. Low riparian areas support populations of cottonwood, willow, and wild rose.

Wildlife

The area is home to a variety of wildlife species including cougars, elk, mule deer, bald eagles, blue grouse, chukar partridge, mourning dove, cottontail rabbits, bobcat, jackrabbit, coyote, raven, several raptor species, ground squirrel, numerous species of birds and Bonneville Cutthroat Trout. The area contains transitions between habitat types, summer range and high value and critical winter range for mule deer and elk. A Blue Ribbon trout stream, Corn Creek, is found in the southern portion of the area.

Archeology and history

The first residents known to leave their mark on the area were the Fremont peoples. The largest Fremont settlement ever discovered was found during the construction of I-70 in Clear Creek Canyon. Artifacts form the village, as well as petroglyphs are visible in the Fremont Indian State Park adjacent to the south end of the Pavant Range. In addition to those found in the relatively small Fremont Indian State Park, there are known significant Fremont cultural sights spread throughout the range. Later visitors to the range left evidence of mining and mineral exploration.

Naturalness and other unique features

The area contains several distinctive and exceptional features. In the northeastern potion of the area, Beehive Peak serves as a landmark whose domed peak is the result of erosion sedimentary rocks. Canyons of note include North and South Cedar Ridge Canyons and Strawberry Canyon. The area contains fascinating geology and unique rock formations visible at the Devil's Armchair and in the Hell Hole Canyon Caves. Other locations have names that are as enticing as their scenery, including The Narrows, The Pyramids, Granddad Peak, Graveyard Hollow, Sunset Peak, Coffee Peak, Paradise, Hans Pumpernickel, Loafers, and Noon Rock Canyons. The area contains opportunities for finding solitude, a challenging experience, and ample opportunity for primitive and unconfined recreation. Well suited to hiking, backpacking, horseback riding, birding, rock climbing hunting, fishing, wildlife viewing and photography, the Pavant Range is a special blend of peaks and redrock that deserves wilderness protection.

Roadless Areas within the Canyon Mountains Wilderness

References

Clarence E. Dutton, Report on the Geology of the High Plateaus of Utah, 1880

Undeveloped Area Evaluation, Fishlake National Forest, 2004

http://www.peakbagger.com/peak.aspx?pid=3822

http://www.desertusa.com/freut/du_fre_todo.html

Tim Peterson, personal experience in the field