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Chumash Proposed Wilderness Additions

Managing agency: Los Padres National Forest

Size: Approximately 65,000 acres. Includes nine units: Badlands North/Quatal, Badlands N.W., Badlands Apache, Chumash S.W., Wagon Wheel Springs, Abel (Cerro Noroeste), Chumash N.E., San Emigdio, and Antimony.

Location: Los Padres County, north of Ojai, west of Frazier Park.

Highway access: The Chumash proposed wilderness additions can be reached via Hwy 33 out of Ventura and Kern counties. East-reaching forest roads 9N09, 8N06 and Lockwood Valley Road lead to the Chumash Wilderness's western and southern proposed additions.

Description:

• Dramatic geology
• Chumash people sacred sites
• Historical habitat for and possible continued presence of blunt-nosed leopard lizard (federally and state listed as endangered), California condor (federally listed as endangered), northern goshawk (state species of concern), yellow blotched salamander (state species of concern), southern and northern rubber boas (state species of concern), intergrade rubber boas (hybrids of southern and northern rubber boa species that occur only here), arroyo toad, California spotted owl
• Areas of High Ecological Concern: Abel and Badlands areas.
• Water Supply for Cuyama Valley

The "Bryce Canyons of California" is what many of the locals call the beautiful canyons found in these areas.

Entering these areas by dead-end dirt roads, one is quickly led to wide valleys that have been shaped and reshaped by large flows of water melting from the winter snows from Mt. Pinos to the Cerro Noroeste ridge of mountains. Each year the patterns formed are beautifully varied and depend upon the quantity of water, the rate at which the melting occurs, and how much rainfall has fallen. Within the broad bed of the streams formed by the largest flows of water, one can detect many mini-streambeds with beautiful variations of stones and soils clusters. The crusts that form as the streambeds dry up add still more striking patterns to admire and wonder about. In springtime, remarkable displays of wildflowers develop on either side of the streams.

All of this is encapsulated by the sides of the canyons. These canyons are mainly sandstone and have been carved into dramatic shapes and forms, revealing varying shades of colors, often one layer in striking contrast to another. These views are never to be forgotten by those who are fortunate enough to see them.

Three peaks dominate the pine-crested mountain range known locally as the Antimony-Tecuya Range or the San Emigdio Mountains. They are San Emigdio (7495'), Antimony (6849') and Tecuya (7150'). Visitors to the tops of these peaks are rewarded with spectacular views that encompass everything from desert areas to the east, the Central Valley and the Sierras to the north, and to the west and the south the Carrizo Plain and deep into the heart of Los Padres Forest.

Beautiful stands of big cone spruces, rare in this area, and sugar as well as statuesque Jeffrey and ponderosa pine are found in these moisture-rich areas, providing a varied backdrop for a wide variety of herbaceous plants as well as habitat for deer, mountain lions, bear, spotted owl, blue grouse, and southern rubber boa. To be especially noted is the fact that this is part of the range of the California condor, which has often been sighted all through the area. The area is also a major corridor for species moving between the Coast, Transverse, Tehachapi, and Sierra Nevada Ranges. This connectivity is crucial to species throughout the region.

The San Emigdio Mountains area is primarily bordered on the north by the Windwolves Preserve, a private wildlife preservation area. At approximately 150 square miles in size, one of the primary aims of this preserve is to re-establish tule elk in the wild. Designation of these border areas as wilderness would be part of a vital link to recreate safe corridors for the elk to migrate through the Bittercreek Wildlife Refuge to the Carrizo Plain, the new national monument in the area. Preserving the proposed Windwolves area adjoining the Forest Service land will protect a large, unbroken piece of wildlife habitat ranging from 600' to 7495'.

For additional information, please contact:
Tim Allyn
Sierra Club
3435 Wilshire Blvd. #302
Los Angeles, CA 90010-1901
Phone: (213) 387-6528 x202
Email: tim.allyn@sierraclub.org

Or:
Erin Duffy California Wild Heritage Campaign
Phone: (805) 564-2460
Email: calwild_sb@yahoo.com