Powderhorn Wilderness
Encyclopedia
The Powderhorn Wilderness is a 62050 acres (251.1 km²) wilderness area in Hinsdale
and Gunnison
Counties, Colorado
, USA, located 5 miles (8 km) northeast of Lake City
. Most of the northern part of the area, 48115 acres (194.7 km²), about 77.5%, is located on Bureau of Land Management
land and its southern portion, 13935 acres (56.4 km²), about 22.5%, is located within the Gunnison National Forest
.
The Powderhorn is an important watershed
for the Gunnison River
. The area protects the East, Middle, and West forks of Powderhorn Creek which flows north directly to the Gunnison River. Calf Creek, which is on National Forest land flows south and eventually joins the Lake Fork River that also flows into the Gunnison via Lake City. Within the area there are numerous small lakes and beaver ponds. The largest of these are Devil's Lake and Powderhorn Lake.
Much of the area sits above timberline at 12000 feet (3,657.6 m) and it is recognized as one of the largest expanses of tundra
in the continental United States. The lower portions of the area are characterized by large stands of ponderosa pine
and groves of aspen
and sagebrush
.
In the area's southwest corner is Cannibal Plateau where Alferd Packer
and his party became lost in the winter of 1874. Packer ate his four companions to survive.
Hinsdale County, Colorado
Hinsdale County is the least densely populated of the 64 counties of the State of Colorado of the United States. The county population was 790 at U.S. Census 2000. The county seat and the only municipality in the county is the Town of Lake City. Hinsdale County is named for George A. Hinsdale, a...
and Gunnison
Gunnison County, Colorado
Gunnison County is the fifth most extensive of the 64 counties of the state of Colorado in the United States. The county population was 15,324 at the 2010 census. The county was named for John W. Gunnison, a United States Army officer and captain in the Army Topographical Engineers, who surveyed...
Counties, Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
, USA, located 5 miles (8 km) northeast of Lake City
Lake City, Colorado
The Town of Lake City is a Statutory Town that is the county seat of, and the only incorporated municipality in, Hinsdale County, Colorado, United States. The town population was 375 at the U.S. Census 2000...
. Most of the northern part of the area, 48115 acres (194.7 km²), about 77.5%, is located on Bureau of Land Management
Bureau of Land Management
The Bureau of Land Management is an agency within the United States Department of the Interior which administers America's public lands, totaling approximately , or one-eighth of the landmass of the country. The BLM also manages of subsurface mineral estate underlying federal, state and private...
land and its southern portion, 13935 acres (56.4 km²), about 22.5%, is located within the Gunnison National Forest
Gunnison National Forest
The Gunnison National Forest is a U.S. National Forest covering 1,672,136 acres in Mesa, Gunnison, Hinsdale and Saguache Counties in Western part of the U.S. state of Colorado...
.
The Powderhorn is an important watershed
Drainage basin
A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...
for the Gunnison River
Gunnison River
The Gunnison River is a tributary of the Colorado River, long, in the Southwest state of Colorado. It is the fifth largest tributary of the Colorado River, with a mean flow of 4320 ft³/s .-Description:...
. The area protects the East, Middle, and West forks of Powderhorn Creek which flows north directly to the Gunnison River. Calf Creek, which is on National Forest land flows south and eventually joins the Lake Fork River that also flows into the Gunnison via Lake City. Within the area there are numerous small lakes and beaver ponds. The largest of these are Devil's Lake and Powderhorn Lake.
Much of the area sits above timberline at 12000 feet (3,657.6 m) and it is recognized as one of the largest expanses of tundra
Tundra
In physical geography, tundra is a biome where the tree growth is hindered by low temperatures and short growing seasons. The term tundra comes through Russian тундра from the Kildin Sami word tūndâr "uplands," "treeless mountain tract." There are three types of tundra: Arctic tundra, alpine...
in the continental United States. The lower portions of the area are characterized by large stands of ponderosa pine
Ponderosa Pine
Pinus ponderosa, commonly known as the Ponderosa Pine, Bull Pine, Blackjack Pine, or Western Yellow Pine, is a widespread and variable pine native to western North America. It was first described by David Douglas in 1826, from eastern Washington near present-day Spokane...
and groves of aspen
Aspen
Populus section Populus, of the Populus genus, includes the aspen trees and the white poplar Populus alba. The five typical aspens are all native to cold regions with cool summers, in the north of the Northern Hemisphere, extending south at high altitudes in the mountains. The White Poplar, by...
and sagebrush
Sagebrush
Sagebrush is a common name of a number of shrubby plant species in the genus Artemisia native to western North America;Or, the sagebrush steppe ecoregion, having one or more kinds of sagebrush, bunchgrasses and others;...
.
In the area's southwest corner is Cannibal Plateau where Alferd Packer
Alferd Packer
Alfred G. "Alferd" Packer was an American prospector who was accused of cannibalism during the winter of 1873-1874. First tried for murder, Packer was eventually sentenced to 40 years in prison after being convicted of manslaughter...
and his party became lost in the winter of 1874. Packer ate his four companions to survive.