III. EXISTING ENVIRONMENT 



A. Physiography 



The proposed sale area covers the major ridge between Antice and Dog 

 Creeks, commonly referred to as Stryker Ridge. Antice Creek is to 

 the northeast of the area and Dog Creek is to the southwest. Eleva- 

 tions within the harvest units range from 4,840 to 5,640 feet. 



All topographical aspects are present, with southwest and northwest 

 aspects generally characterizing the majority of harvest units. Slopes 

 within harvest units are generally moderate (20 to 40 percent) with 

 occasional short pitches approaching 50 percent. A general view of 

 the proposed sale area from the southwest is presented in Appendix 



B, photo 1 . 



The present surface configuration of the sale area has been determined 

 by the uplifiting of underlying bedrock and repeated glaciation. As a 

 result, both deep soils and occasional rock outcrops are found within 

 the general sale area. 



No lakes or perennially flowing streams are found within the general 

 sale area with the exception of a perennial stream in Section 18. 

 Mystery Lake, a small, beautiful mountain lake, is located approxi- 

 mately .7 mile from proposed harvest unit number 18. 



B. Soils and Geology 



No detailed Soil Conservation Service soil surveys have been made 



in the area under consideration. A soil reconnaissance was conducted 



by the Forestry Division's soil scientist. 



Within the sale area, soils can be generally described as shallow to 

 deep and well-drained over precambrian quartzite and argillite with 

 occasional inter bedding of limestone. The parent materials from 

 which the existing soils have developed are primarily calcareous, 

 glacially-deposited materials from the Continental, Cordilleran and 

 possibly other glaciations. As a result, soils textures are variable, 

 ranging from silts to fine sands with occasional small pockets of 

 silts and clays. 



The presence of coarse fragments, rocks and cobbles within the soils 

 (estimated at 35 percent) tends to reduce the erosive nature of these 

 soils. As a result, the general erosion hazard of the area was judged 

 to be moderate if potential problem areas (pockets of silts and clays) 

 are avoided and erosion control measures taken. 



- 6 



