SURVEYS OF FOREST RESERVES. 23 



fully triangulated and meander lines were run along the shore line of 

 the lake connecting the triangulation stations, so that data were 

 obtained sufQcient to prepare a map of the lake. The triangulation 

 points here, as elsewhere, were permanently marked by copper bolts 

 set in the solid rock, so tliat they will remain recoverable for an 

 indefinite length of time. 



A varyingforce of about twenty-five men was employed in this locality, 

 and the sum of $6,992 was expended. This expenditure included ihe 

 purchaseof seventeen mules and a camp outfit of tents and other articles. 



Examination of forests. — For the examination of this reserve and a 

 portion of the Bitterroot Reserve, Mr. John B. Leiberg was transferred 

 temporarily from the Department of Agriculture, in which he has for 

 several years been employed iu similar work. Mr. Leiberg commenced 

 work upon the Priest River Reserve July 1 , and finished the examina- 

 tion of that reserve in August. 



The reserve comprises the drainage basin of Priest Lake and River, 

 together with certain small bodies of land in the southern part, drained 

 directly to Clarke Fork. It lies mainly in the State of Idaho, a small 

 portion of its area being comprised in northeastern Washington. Its 

 area in Idaho is estimated at 552,960 acres, and that in Washington 

 92,160; a total of 645,120 acres, or a little over 1,000 square miles. 



Topography. — It is mainly a mountainous region, the level tracts 

 forming probably not more than 12 or 14 per cent of the whole. In 

 elevation it ranges from 2,000 to 8,000 feet. The reserve is composed 

 mainly of the opposing slopes of two mountain ranges, one upon each 

 side of the valley which incloses Priest Lake and River, and the summits 

 of which form the east and west limits of the reserve. Tliese two 

 ranges converge nearly to a point at the north boundary of tlie reserve. 

 The east range is an extension northwestward of the Cabinet Range; 

 the western will be called here Pend Oreille Range. Of the two the 

 Cabinet Range is the higher, its summit having an average altitude of 

 about 6,000 feet, with peaks rising to 8,000, and is extremely rugged. 

 The Pend Oreille Range is much less rugged than its neighbor and is 

 less elevated, rarely rising above 6,000 feet. Priest Lake, which occu- 

 pies a portion of the valley between the two ranges, is composed of two 

 parts. The upper portion is about 2 miles long and a mile wide. The 

 lower portion is the main lake. It has a length of about 18 miles and 

 is from one-half a mile to 5 miles in width. It is drained southward 

 by Priest River to Clarke Fork. 



Forests. — The Priest River Reserve is essentially a forest covered 

 region. There are but few tracts within its boundaries th at do not now, or 

 did not a few years ago, support a dense, magnificent forest. Tlie only 

 areas destitute of forests from natural causes are marshes and the 

 rooky crests and slides in the mountains. These, together with the 

 water surface of the lakes and streams, are estimated to aggregate 

 about 30,000 acres, which is only 8 per cent of the entire area. 



The forests of this reserve may be grouped, for descriptive purposes, 

 in three zones, depending upon altitude, distinguished as (1) subalpine 

 fir, (2) the white pine, and (.3) the yellow pine. The first of these com- 

 prises the area lying above an altitude of about 4,800 feet. The trees 

 found within it are almost exclusively the subalpine fir and the white- 

 bark pine, mainly the former. Neither of these species is of importance 

 to the lumbermen, largely because of the inaccessibility of its habitat. 



The white-pine zone is the predominant one. It is found mainly 

 between altitudes of 2,400 to 4,800 feet above sea level, altitudes which- 



