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'{{Infobox protected area <!-- See Template:Infobox protected area --> | name = Snow Mountain Wilderness | photo = Snow Mountain.jpg | iucn_category = Ib | map = USA relief | map_caption = Top: Snow Mountain, East Peak, April, 2003<br />Bottom: Location of Snow Mountain Wilderness | location = [[Mendocino National Forest]]; [[Lake County, California|Lake]] / [[Colusa County, California|Colusa]] / [[Glenn County, California|Glenn]] counties, [[California]] | nearest_city = [[Lakeport, California]] | lat_d = 39 | lat_m = 25 | lat_s = 00 | lat_NS = N | long_d = 122 | long_m = 43 | long_s = 19 | long_EW = W | region = US | coords_ref = | area = {{convert|37679|acre|km2}} | established = 1984 | visitation_num = | visitation_year = | governing_body = [[United States Forest Service]] }} The '''Snow Mountain Wilderness''' is a {{convert|60076|acre|km2|adj=on}} federally designated [[wilderness area]] located {{convert|65|mi|km|0}} north of [[Santa Rosa, California]], USA in the [[Mendocino National Forest]]. The [[U.S. Congress]] passed the [[California Wilderness Act of 1984]] which created 23 new wilderness areas including Snow Mountain.<ref>[http://www.nps.gov/legal/parklaws/1/laws1-volume1-appendix.pdf California Wilderness Act of 1984 on the National Park Service web site]</ref> It lies within the [[California Coast Ranges#|North Coast Range]] of mountains. Elevations are from {{convert|1800|ft|m|-2}} to {{convert|7056|ft|m|0}}. The wilderness covers the crest of this North Coast Range mountain divide for {{convert|13|mi|km|0}} and the summit area includes two peaks, East (7,050&nbsp;ft<ref>[http://geonames.usgs.gov/pls/gnispublic/f?p=gnispq:3:::NO::P3_FID:1656316 United States Geological Survey (USGS) Feature Detail Report]</ref>) and West (7,021&nbsp;ft<ref>[http://geonames.usgs.gov/pls/gnispublic/f?p=gnispq:3:::NO::P3_FID:267331 USGS Feature Detail Report]</ref>). On October 17, 2006 the [[Northern California Coastal Wild Heritage Wilderness Act]] was signed into law ([[Public Law]] No: 109-362) which added {{convert|23706|acre|km2}} to the Snow Mountain Wilderness.<ref>[http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h109-233 "H.R. 233 (109th Congress): Northern California Coastal Wild Heritage Wilderness Act" on GovTracks.us]</ref> The Trough Fire burned {{convert|24970|acre|km2}} of Snow Mountain Wilderness and national forest land in August 2001. More than 12 million dollars was spent to contain the wildfire even though most of the area was within the wilderness boundary. This human-caused wildfire started near Fouts Springs, an off-road vehicle recreational area in Mendocino National Forest.<ref>[http://www.pacificbio.org/Projects/Fire2001/trough.pdf "Trough Fire — California", Pacific Biodiversity Institute]</ref> ==Streams and waterways== The Middle and South Forks of [[Stony Creek (California)|Stony Creek]] flow down the east side of the divide. The west slopes are drained by the main [[Eel River (California)|Eel River]] and the [[Rice Fork]] of the Eel. Other tributaries are Bearwallow Creek and Thistle Glade Creek. Stony Creek has a self-sustaining population of wild [[rainbow trout]]. ==Flora and fauna== More than 500 species of plants have been identified in the wilderness as well as 122 species of wildlife. The highest elevations have a subalpine environment with barren, rocky slopes and stunted [[red fir]] trees, while middle and lower elevations have stands of mixed conifers such as [[white fir]], [[Jeffrey pine]] and [[incense cedar]] as well as [[Quercus kelloggii|black oak]]. [[Mountain-mahogany]] grows on exposed ridges in the wilderness and is a food source for the [[black-tailed deer]]. Rare native plants include Sonoma manzanita (''Arctostaphylos canescens ssp. sonomensis'') on Snow Mountain East, on St John's Mountain is the [[Endemism|endemic]] annual herb bentflower fiddleneck (''Amsinckia lunaris''). Other wildlife include [[American Black Bear|black bear]], [[mountain lion]], [[spotted owl]] and game birds like [[California quail]], [[sooty grouse]] and bandtailed pigeon. == Recreation == [[File:Snow Mtn sign.jpg|left|thumb|Wilderness boundary sign at Bearwallow Trail (''note burn area'')]] Activities in the wilderness include day [[hiking]], [[backpacking (wilderness)|backpacking]], [[skiing]], [[fishing]] and horseback riding. The Forest Service encourages the practice of [[Leave No Trace]] principles of outdoor travel to minimize human impact on the environment. ===Trails=== There are {{convert|37|mi|km}} of maintained trails and {{convert|18.5|mi|km}} of unmaintained trails. Eight trailheads provide access with four of those being above {{convert|5000|ft|m}}. The lower elevation trails are Trout Creek and Bearwallow trail. The trailhead of Bearwallow begins on the east side of the wilderness and crosses the southern and western slopes of [[Saint John Mountain (California)|Saint John Mountain]] (6,719&nbsp;ft<ref>[http://geonames.usgs.gov/pls/gnispublic/f?p=105:2:7578935330487537077::NO::: USGS]</ref>). The Milk Ranch Loop Trail is nine miles (14&nbsp;km) long and crosses privately owned land of the Milk Ranch. Permission from the owner allows using the trail, but no camping. The name "Milk Ranch" comes from one of the first settlers to the mountain in the late 19th century, a Mrs. Tobobin who operated a dairy ranch in the meadow. In the spring the cows would be moved to this higher elevation meadow of the mountain and in autumn, the butter would be brought down to the towns of [[Williams, California|Williams]] and [[Willows, California|Willows]] to be sold.<ref>Mauldin, Henry. ''Mountains & Pioneers of Lake County'', Earthen Vessels Productions, Inc, 1995, p.29</ref> == Footnotes == {{Reflist}} == References == * {{cite book | last = Adkinson | first = Ron | title = Wild Northern California | publisher = Falcon | location = Guilford, Conn | year = 2001 | pages = 238–241 | isbn = 978-1-56044-781-8 }} == External links == * [http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/mendocino/recreation/wild/snowmt/ The Mendocino National Forest/Snow Mountain webpage] * [http://www.blm.gov/education/lnt/ The Bureau of Land Management's Leave No Trace training page] * [http://www.snowmtnhiking.org/ Snow Mountain Hiking Association] {{Protected Areas of California|NF}} [[Category:Protected areas of Colusa County, California]] [[Category:Protected areas of Glenn County, California]] [[Category:Protected areas of Lake County, California]] [[Category:Wilderness Areas of California]] [[Category:IUCN Category Ib]] [[Category:Mendocino National Forest]]'