Enjoying
the Wilderness
At
its highest, the wilderness is an area of dense
alpine forest -- the Canadian biotic zone with
Douglas fir and Engelmann spruce. Some aspen is
found at the higher reaches, providing shelter
for the young fir and spruce seedlings. This is
elk country, where the decaying trees nurture an
abundant undergrowth. Heavy snows provide a
constant supply of water for wildlife and trees.
The herbs and shrub berries were a source of
food for the Apache, and today continue to serve
the animals of the region. You'll find
wildflowers and ferns in the more open stands of
aspen. However, because of firefighting policies
which suppressed wildfires over the past
century, there are not as many aspens as there
might be through natural evolvement
alone.
At
lower levels is the Uplands or Transition zone,
where most of the animals and birds are found,
and ponderosa pine predominates. Here the tall
pines are in different stages of growth. The
portions of the forest which were logged (or
burned by wildfires) are densely-packed. The
older trees unaffected by earlier logging, are
widely-spaced, permitting a healthy undergrowth
to thrive. Visitors may walk through these
stands, off the trails, to see what a natural
forest is really like. Along the lower slopes
and those which face south, is the
pinyon-juniper woodland. The short pines and
junipers are joined here by Emory and Gambel's
oaks, an important source of animal food, as are
the pine nuts. Throughout this more arid zone
are the plants of the high desert: yucca
(primarily Spanish dagger) agave, prickly pear,
and manzanita. The creeks which flow from the
sources of the three forks of the Gila River
tumble through the Uplands zone. The grasses in
this zone provide forage for elk, deer (mule and
white-tailed), and antelope. Foxes and prairie
dogs are numerous, as are hawks and
eagles.
The
bottomlands are in the high desert--the Upper
Sonoran zone--much higher than the neighboring
desert areas of southern New Mexico and the San
Pedro Valley across the Arizona boundary. Here,
streams flow year-round, creating riparian
habitats beside the rocky bottoms of the
fast-moving creeks and the river forks. These
are trout streams, with fast moving sections and
quieter pools which house insects on which the
fish feed. Along with the trout, including the
endangered Gila trout, are dace, chubs, suckers,
bass and catfish. The streamside habitats are
populated by an amazing variety of trees and
shrubs: alder, cottonwood, willow, walnut,
maple, ash, and boxelder. Vines (Virginia
creeper) and fruit-bearing plants spread over
the riverbanks, among them grapes, strawberry,
raspberry, and wild onion.
On
more arid slopes are all the succulents and
other plant life of the desert: sagebrush,
creosote bush, yucca and scrub brush. You'll see
the effects of periodic flooding, massive
movements of soil and vegetation brought about
by rampaging rivers after heavy rainstorms. The
proximity of the rich, dense riparian habitats
and the high, arid desert brings constant
wonder. In addition, ponderosa pine is also
found at the lower levels, keeping to the south
(north-facing) slopes, while the pinyon-juniper
woodland covers the north slopes.
The
weather and climate are important to a visitor
to the Gila Wilderness. This is not the low
desert zone of Lordsburg and Las Cruces. It is
typical of the higher desert uplands, bringing
20 inches of precipitation on the higher
mountains, and 10 to 12 inches at the canyon
bottoms. Summer daytime temperatures at river
level are normally in the 90s, with summer
nights in the 60s. Winter nights are generally
below freezing, into the 20s, while daytime
winter temperatures rise to the mid-sixties.
Higher elevations bring cooler temperatures at
any time of year.
The
mild temperatures cause an early melting of snow
at the lower and mid-level elevations, making it
possible to begin mountain trail hikes in late
March and early April. After heavy snowfall, the
topmost trails have been closed until late June
or early July. Late March and early April
provide the best windows for viewing the full
range of wildflowers which grow at river level.
Many people visit the wilderness area in May and
June. The temperatures are crisp but easy to
take, plants are flowering in the lower and
middle levels, and trails are largely deserted.
Fall is another period for full enjoyment of the
area, without the summer traffic. Then, the
deciduous trees are changing color, including
maples, walnuts and aspens. Hunters come to hunt
for elk and deer, during the short bow and rifle
hunting season. Winter on the canyon floor is
mild, offering walks to the steaming hot springs
and relaxed soaking in complete solitude.
