Mokelumne Wilderness
{{Short description|Protected wilderness area in California, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox protected area
| name = Mokelumne Wilderness
| photo = A skier heading towards RoundTop Peak.JPG
| photo_caption = Round Top Peak in the Mokelumne Wilderness
| iucn_category = Ib
| map = USA
| relief = 1
| map_caption = Map of the United States
| map_alt = A map of the United States showing the location of the Mokelumne Wilderness
| map_width =
| location = Sierra Nevada Mountain Range, Alpine / Amador / Calaveras counties, California, United States
| nearest_city = South Lake Tahoe, California (north), Markleeville, California (east)
| coordinates = {{coord|38|35|00|N|119|58|43|W|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
| coords_ref =
| area = {{convert|105165|acre|km2}}
| established = 1964
| governing_body = U.S. Forest Service
}}
The Mokelumne Wilderness is a {{Convert|105165|acre|sqmi km2|0|adj=on}}{{Cite web |url=http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/stanislaus/visitor/mokelumne.shtml#history |title=Official site -Stanislaus NF, Mokelumne History page |access-date=2008-10-16 |archive-date=2008-09-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080925104355/http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/stanislaus/visitor/mokelumne.shtml#history |url-status=live }} federally designated wilderness area located {{Convert|70|mi|km}} east of Sacramento, California. It is within the boundaries of three national forests: Stanislaus, Eldorado and Toiyabe. First protected under the Wilderness Act of 1964, the Mokelumne's borders were expanded under the California Wilderness Act of 1984 with the addition of 55,000California Wilderness Act of 1984, P.L. 98-425 Sec.101(16) acres. The wilderness takes its name from the Mokelumne River, which was named after a Mi-wok Indian village located on the riverbank in California's Central Valley.[http://sierranevadawild.gov/wild/mokelumne Sierra Nevada Wild webpage on Mokelumne Wilderness] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081014034421/http://sierranevadawild.gov/wild/mokelumne |date=2008-10-14 }} accessed 16 October 2008
The wilderness encompasses an area of the Sierra Nevada mountain range between Ebbetts Pass and Carson Pass. There are two sections separated by the Blue Lakes Road and an Off-Road Vehicle corridor.
Elevations range from {{Convert|4000|ft|m}} to {{Convert|10381|ft|m}}. The highest point is Round Top (10,364 feet{{cite web|url=http://geonames.usgs.gov/pls/gnispublic/f?p=gnispq:3:::NO::P3_FID:265618|title=GNIS Detail – Round Top|website=geonames.usgs.gov|access-date=2008-12-10|archive-date=2021-10-11|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211011134559/https://www.usgs.gov/core-science-systems/ngp/board-on-geographic-names/domestic-names?p=gnispq%253A3%253A%253A%253ANO%253A%253AP3_FID%253A265618|url-status=live}}), a remnant volcano from which the wilderness area's volcanic soils are derived.
Landscape, flora and fauna
The west slopes have been eroded by glaciation and water down to the granite bedrock which has created a dramatic contrast between the volcanic and the granitic landscapes.
The wilderness protects habitat for a great variety of plants and animals especially on the slopes of Round Top, which is designated a special interest area. Plants include Ponderosa pine, canyon live oak as well as alpine vegetation of Whitebark pine, subalpine fir, and western juniper, with western white pine, mountain hemlock, and lodgepole pine found in sheltered areas.
Waterways such as the North Fork of the Mokelumne River have riparian zones of white and mountain alder, creek dogwood, western azalea and bitter cherry.
Wildlife include the black bear and mule deer, as well as martin, bald eagle and the California spotted owl.Adkinson p.153
=Areas of special interest=
The Round Top Botanical Area is at the junction of three botanical provinces and includes red fir forest, sagebrush scrub, subalpine and alpine environments. The combination of soil types, varying exposure and elevations produce diverse plant life, such as the phantom orchid (Cephalanthera austiniae), a rare parasitic plant. The plant's common name is due to its color being all or mostly white.
The Round Top Geologic Area has more than {{convert|3000|acre|km2}} within the wilderness and encompasses a variety of geological areas, including exposed granodiorite, lava flows, dikes, glacial moraines and cirques. The landform known as Elephants Back is a rounded mass of solidified lava. Mineralization produced gold-bearing quartz veins, and relics of past gold mining activities are still present in the area.
Climate
The Wilderness experiences a warm summer Mediterranean to subarctic climates. Snow can be found at all elevations with more the higher you go especially around the crests.
{{Weather box
|location = Blue Lakes, California, 1991–2020 normals, 1983–2020 extremes: 8057ft (2456m)
|single line = Yes
|Jan record high F = 59
|Feb record high F = 64
|Mar record high F = 76
|Apr record high F = 79
|May record high F = 90
|Jun record high F = 93
|Jul record high F = 94
|Aug record high F = 92
|Sep record high F = 83
|Oct record high F = 77
|Nov record high F = 66
|Dec record high F = 58
|year record high F =
|Jan avg record high F = 50.2
|Feb avg record high F = 50.9
|Mar avg record high F = 56.6
|Apr avg record high F = 61.5
|May avg record high F = 67.4
|Jun avg record high F = 75.0
|Jul avg record high F = 79.6
|Aug avg record high F = 78.6
|Sep avg record high F = 74.6
|Oct avg record high F = 67.2
|Nov avg record high F = 57.9
|Dec avg record high F = 50.4
|year avg record high F = 80.7
|Jan high F = 36.5
|Feb high F = 37.1
|Mar high F = 41.9
|Apr high F = 46.0
|May high F = 53.3
|Jun high F = 62.9
|Jul high F = 71.2
|Aug high F = 70.3
|Sep high F = 64.3
|Oct high F = 53.5
|Nov high F = 42.5
|Dec high F = 35.6
|year high F =
|Jan mean F = 26.6
|Feb mean F = 26.6
|Mar mean F = 30.5
|Apr mean F = 34.4
|May mean F = 41.6
|Jun mean F = 50.3
|Jul mean F = 58.6
|Aug mean F = 58.0
|Sep mean F = 52.5
|Oct mean F = 43.0
|Nov mean F = 33.4
|Dec mean F = 26.2
|year mean F =
|Jan low F = 16.7
|Feb low F = 16.0
|Mar low F = 19.1
|Apr low F = 22.7
|May low F = 29.8
|Jun low F = 37.6
|Jul low F = 45.8
|Aug low F = 45.7
|Sep low F = 40.7
|Oct low F = 32.5
|Nov low F = 24.3
|Dec low F = 16.8
|year low F =
|Jan avg record low F = -1.9
|Feb avg record low F = -1.0
|Mar avg record low F = 1.0
|Apr avg record low F = 7.2
|May avg record low F = 18.1
|Jun avg record low F = 27.2
|Jul avg record low F = 38.0
|Aug avg record low F = 38.2
|Sep avg record low F = 30.5
|Oct avg record low F = 20.8
|Nov avg record low F = 10.2
|Dec avg record low F = 0.0
|year avg record low F = -7.4
|Jan record low F = -16
|Feb record low F = -18
|Mar record low F = -9
|Apr record low F = -7
|May record low F = 6
|Jun record low F = 16
|Jul record low F = 28
|Aug record low F = 30
|Sep record low F = 5
|Oct record low F = 2
|Nov record low F = -7
|Dec record low F = -21
|year record low F =
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation inch = 7.63
|Feb precipitation inch = 6.89
|Mar precipitation inch = 6.32
|Apr precipitation inch = 4.08
|May precipitation inch = 2.23
|Jun precipitation inch = 0.84
|Jul precipitation inch = 0.45
|Aug precipitation inch = 0.35
|Sep precipitation inch = 0.72
|Oct precipitation inch = 2.23
|Nov precipitation inch = 4.08
|Dec precipitation inch = 7.13
|year precipitation inch =
|Jan snow depth inch = 55.9
|Feb snow depth inch = 70.8
|Mar snow depth inch = 79.7
|Apr snow depth inch = 69.8
|May snow depth inch = 49.0
|Jun snow depth inch = 17.8
|Jul snow depth inch = 0.8
|Aug snow depth inch = 0.0
|Sep snow depth inch = 0.3
|Oct snow depth inch = 3.9
|Nov snow depth inch = 15.0
|Dec snow depth inch = 38.0
|year snow depth inch = 85.1
|unit precipitation days = 0.01 in
|Jan precipitation days = 12.2
|Feb precipitation days = 12.8
|Mar precipitation days = 14.6
|Apr precipitation days = 12.2
|May precipitation days = 8.4
|Jun precipitation days = 3.7
|Jul precipitation days = 2.3
|Aug precipitation days = 1.7
|Sep precipitation days = 3.0
|Oct precipitation days = 5.8
|Nov precipitation days = 9.8
|Dec precipitation days = 13.1
|year precipitation days =
|source 1 = XMACIS2 (1999-2020 snow depth)
{{cite web
|url = https://xmacis.rcc-acis.org/
|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
|title = xmACIS2
|access-date = September 13, 2023
}}
|source 2 = NOAA (Precipitation)
{{cite web
|url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&startDate=0001-01-01&endDate=9996-12-31&stations=USS0019L05S&format=pdf
|title = Blue Lakes, California 1991-2020 Monthly Normals
|access-date = September 13, 2023
}}
}}
Mountain Peaks
There are several mountains in the wilderness including these named peaks:{{cite web |title=Mokelumne Wilderness |url=https://www.summitpost.org/mokelumne-wilderness/280630#:~:text=The%20Mokelumne%20Wilderness%20currently%20encompasses%20105%2C165%20acres.%20Round,The%20Desolation%20Wilderness%20viewed%20from%20the%20Mokelumne%20Wilderness |website=SummitPost |access-date=2022-09-07}}{{cite web |title=Major Peaks of the Mokelumne Wilderness Area |url=https://www.peakbagger.com/range.aspx?rid=12613 |website=PeakBagger.com |access-date=2022-09-07}}{{cite web |title=Mokelumne Wilderness Map |url=https://www.fs.usda.gov/detailfull/stanislaus/maps-pubs/?cid=fsm91_057728&width=full |website=USDA Forest Service |access-date=2022-09-07 |date=2008}}
- Round Top (10,381 ft)
- The Sisters (10,153 ft and 10,045 ft)
- Raymond Peak (10,014 ft)
- Deadwood Peak (9,846 ft)
- Melissa Coray Peak (9,763 ft)
- Reynolds Peak (9,679 ft)
- Little Round Top (9,590 ft)
- Elephants Back (9,585 ft)
- Fourth of July Peak (9,537 ft)
- Markleeville Peak (9,415 ft)
- The Nipple (9,342 ft)
- Mokelumne Peak (9,334 ft)
- Da-ek Dow Go-et Mountain (formerly Jeff Davis Peak) (9,065 ft)
- Black Butte (9,013 ft)
- Thornburg Peak (8,636 ft)
This is not a complete list and only includes non-numbered named peaks above 8,600 ft elevation in the wilderness.
Recreation
File:Deadwood Peak, Upper Blue Lake.jpg above Upper Blue Lake]]
The Mokelumne Wilderness has a variety of recreational opportunities all year. With landscapes ranging from deep canyons to alpine heights and more than two hundred ice-scoured lakes and tarns, fishing and hiking are popular activities as well as cross country skiing. Access is from roads surrounding the wilderness boundary with Carson Pass being the most used entry point.
The Pacific Crest Trail, the Tahoe–Yosemite Trail and the Emigrant Summit Trail all cross through the Mokelumne Wilderness. The Emigrant Summit Trail is a designated National Recreation and Historic Trail that follows the western boundary and then passes through the wilderness from Emigrant Valley to Caples Lake.
Wilderness permits are required year-round for overnight visits.{{Cite web |url=http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/eldorado/recreation/wild/moke/permit/ |title=Eldorado – Home |access-date=2010-05-15 |archive-date=2010-05-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100501063122/http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/eldorado/recreation/wild/moke/permit/ |url-status=live }}
Footnotes
{{Reflist}}
References
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20090511145358/http://enfia.info/index.html Eldorado National Forest Interpretive Association website.] accessed July 30, 2009
Adkinson, Ron Wild Northern California. The Globe Pequot Press, 2001
{{Portal|California}}
External links
- {{Commons category-inline|Mokelumne Wilderness}}
- [http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/eldorado/recreation/wild/moke/ Eldorado National Forest: Mokelumne Wilderness webpage]
- [http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/stanislaus/visitor/mokelumne.shtml Stanislaus National Forest: Mokelumne Wilderness webpage]
- [http://www.wilderness.net/index.cfm?fuse=NWPS&sec=wildView&wname=Mokelumne Wilderness.net: Mokelumne Wilderness webpage]
{{Protected Areas of California|NF}}
{{Sierra Nevada}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Wilderness areas of California
Category:Protected areas of the Sierra Nevada (United States)
Category:Eldorado National Forest
Category:Humboldt–Toiyabe National Forest
Category:Stanislaus National Forest
Category:Protected areas of Alpine County, California
Category:Protected areas of Amador County, California
Category:Protected areas of Calaveras County, California
Category:Protected areas established in 1964