GEAZING LANDS. . 15 



as regards accessibility and water supply. They may conveniently be divided into 

 five classes, as follows: (1) Nontimbered foothills; (2) woodlands; (3) open slopes, 

 generally southern, and nontimbered canyon bottoms; (4) wet meadows and fire 

 glades in the subalpine forest zone; (5) summits of the high plateau areas and ridges 

 above timber line. 



The nontimbered foothills comprise 100,000 acres. They lie along the northern 

 and northeastern edges of the area, in the northwest corner, forming a narrow and 

 interrupted belt, gradually widening toward the east until thej' occupy most of Tps. 

 4 and 5 S., Es. 16 and 17 E. and T. 6 S., K. 18 E. The tracts have a mean altitude 

 of 5,600 feet. The surface is marked, in part, by long, rolling swells and low ridges 

 alternating with shallow canyons, and, in part, is extensively cut up and intersected 

 by a multitude of ravines. The soil is generally thin and stony, most of the areas 

 being overlain with deep deposits of glacial bowlder and gravel drift, but, where the 

 soil has been derived from disintegration of the brecciated lavas, it is of a gumbo- 

 like character. The lands are generally well watered by small springs, runs, and 

 streams, although many of the smaller ravines are dry through the latter part of 

 summer and fall. 



Originally these tracts bore a moderately close sward of various species of 

 grasses. They have long been pastured, and, where 'uninclosed and only moderately 

 well watered, have now a very low grazing value. 



The lands are of little value for forestry purposes, although they are by no 

 means incapable of supporting arborescent vegetation. They are situated within 

 the altitudinal limits of timber growth, and were they not pastured would, in course 

 of time, produce stands of aspen, cottonwood, limber and yellow pines. Their 

 present treeless character is primarily due to repeated fires during the Indian 

 occupancy of the region. 



The woodlands comprise 37,200 acres. They occupy narrow and irregular 

 tracts throughout the foothill areas, generally at altitudes not much above nor below 

 6,000 or 6,200 feet, following streams and gullies, or occupying crests and northern 

 slopes or combs of ridges, or scattered over the rolling surface of the higher 

 foothills. Portions of the areas are rocky in character, with projecting ledges of 

 limestone and brecciated lava. Portions of the tracts consist of deep deposits of 

 glacial bowlder and gravel drift. Most of the tracts are poorly watered, springs 

 being scarce and the diflferent runs and ravines mostly dry during the summer 

 season. They are sparsely stocked with limber pine, yellow pine, red fir, aspen, 

 and cottonwood, set in small copses, thin lines, or standing as isolated trees. Their 

 grazing value lies in the abundant growth which forms most of the ground cover 

 where not overpastured. Where the tracts have been too closely, grazed they are 

 bare or overgrown with coarse weeds. In some localities the. creeping juniper, 

 Juniperus promnibms, spreads over the ground in close and dense mats. In 



