Ansel Adams Wilderness: Potential Owens River Headwaters Additions
 Size: Approximately 21,214 acres.
Managing agency: Inyo National Forest
Location: 4 miles west of Highway 395 between the towns of Mammoth Lakes and June Lake.
Description: The Owens River Headwaters proposed wilderness additions would add 14,800 acres to the Ansel Adams Wilderness and protect 15 miles along Deadman Creek, Glass Creek, and the Upper Owens River down to Owens River Ranch as Wild & Scenic Rivers. Wilderness and Wild & Scenic River status would preserve the unaltered headwaters of the most important river system in the Eastern Sierra. Vital not only to a large body of wildlife, preservation of the Owens River Headwaters as an intact ecosystem is essential to the health of the local, tourist-based economy.
The Headwaters contain over 100 seeps and springs that sustain some of the most abundant riparian habitat in the Eastern Sierra. Glass Creek Meadow, the largest subalpine meadow east of the crest, provides habitat for the Yosemite toad, a candidate endangered species, and is home to the highest diversity of butterflies in the eastern Sierra.
Pacific moisture flowing over the San Joaquin Ridge creates a rare mixture of east and west side floras. The low elevation of the San Joaquin Ridge makes it a vital east-west passage for mule deer, pine marten, and other animals. The ridge also could play an important role as a migration corridor for the endangered Sierra Nevada bighorn sheep, as the species begins to recover.
 The eastern Sierra's largest old growth red fir forest, with trees exceeding 8 feet in diameter, lies within the proposed wilderness additions. The clear, clean water flowing from the Headwaters into the Upper Owens River supports one America's finest and most popular trout fisheries. Groundwater pouring out of Big Springs doubles the flow of the Upper Owens River. Water from Big Springs assures that fish will be able to swim upstream to spawn in fall and remain safe from predation, especially during drought years.
The importance of the Owens River Headwaters area has been repeatedly recognized: the San Joaquin Ridge is a candidate National Natural Landmark (1980), White Wing is a candidate Research Natural Area, and the Upper Owens River watershed was designated as a potential Aquatic Diversity Management Area in the SierraNevada Ecosystem Project (SNEP) Report to Congress (1996).
Evidence of Native American occupation of the Owens River Headwaters dates back to the end of the last glacial period, about 10,000 years ago. The low San Joaquin Ridge provided an ideal east-west trade route. Remains of numerous camps still exist within the Headwaters, identifiable by concentrations of obsidian flakes, midden piles, and grinding rocks.
The proposed additions are popular destinations for day hikes and backpacking trips. Heavy snowfall makes it a haven for backcountry skiing, snowboarding, and snowshoeing. The rare mix of diverse habitats makes the headwaters ideal for nature study, especially bird watching and botanizing. Wilderness status would preserve the pristine quality of this area for future generations. Fishing, both bait and fly, are extremely popular along the Upper Owens River. Angling opportunities would be protected and enhanced with wilderness status for the headwaters and the wild and scenic status for the streams.
 No major access routes would be closed. Popular routes, such as the Deadman Creek and Deadman Pass routes, would be cherry-stemmed to preserve vehicular access to these areas. A few illegal and rarely used jeep trails would be closed. The Mountain View Mountain Bike Trail, along the southern boundary of the proposed wilderness additions, would remain open.
Possible ski area development and increased groundwater extraction threaten the biological, aquatic, recreational and economic resources of the Owens River Headwaters. Any development within the headwaters would irreversibly alter this invaluable ecosystem. Illegal proliferation of off-road vehicle routes is currently damaging pristine riparian areas and adding sediment to the creeks and springs. Potential gold mining also poses a threat to the ecological health, water quality, and scenic integrity of the headwaters.
Increased groundwater extraction from Dry Creek, a tributary of the Upper Owens River, may negatively impact flows within the Upper Owens River. Pumping more water from the aquifer feeding could adversely impact its flow volume, especially during drought conditions when instream flows are vital. Lower flows would threaten fish with increased bird predation and could strand fish in the lower reaches of the river, unable to reach their historic spawning beds. Wild & Scenic River status would prohibit actions that compromise the outstanding values of the Upper Owens River and its blue-ribbon fishery.
For additional information, please contact:
Sally Miller
The Wilderness Society
Phone: (760) 647-1614
Email: sally_miller@tws.org
Or contact:
Paul McFarland
Friends of the Inyo
P.O. Box 64
Lee Vining, CA 93541
(760) 647-0079
Email: pmcfarland@qnet.com
Web site: www.friendsoftheinyo.org
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Just three miles off of Interstate 80, 
