 |
Captain Jack Potential Wilderness
 Managing agency: Modoc and Klamath National Forests and Lava Beds National Monument.
Size: Approximately 62,193 acres in several units.
Location: Clustered in and around the Lava Beds National Monument 10 miles south of the town of Tulelake in Modoc and Siskiyou counties.
Description: The Captain Jack potential wilderness is in California's most volcanically active region, and as a result is covered in a sea of lava rock. Collapsed domes of lava, spattercones, fissures, natural arches, and an extensive system of caves add to the fascination of this geologic wonderland. Some of the caves contain ice that remains year-round. Ponderosa pine, juniper, pinyon pine, bitterbrush, and several kinds of sage grow in the potential wilderness, as does a vast carpet of native California bunchgrass. These habitats support pronghorn antelope, Rocky Mountain elk, mule deer, and a plethora of other species. The potential wilderness's caves support a phenomenal bat population.
In 1872, seventy warriors of the Modoc tribe and their families waged a guerrilla war in the potential wilderness against four companies of U.S. Army troops armed with cannons and other modern weaponry. In 1873 the Modoc leader, Captain Jack, grew so concerned about starvation among his people that he finally surrendered, only to be executed along with three of his men. The rest of his band was exiled to Oklahoma. Physical reminders of the Modoc War remain today in the form of bullet-scarred rocks, constructed fortifications, and abandoned equipment. Older Modoc artifacts can also be observed in the potential wilderness, including stone hunting blinds, rock shelters, and petroglyphs.
For additional information, please contact:
Ryan Henson
California Wilderness Coalition
P.O. Box 993323
Redding, CA 96099
Phone: (530) 246-3087
|
|
Just three miles off of Interstate 80, 
