Hunchback Mountain Land Exchange

The USFS press release is confusing as they mix several land exchanges.  For us in the Mt Hood Corridor, the Hunchback Mountain Land Exchange was trade between public lands held by USFS and Clackamas County.  Clackamas County gained some timber land in the Wildcat Mountain area.  Thus, the Hunchback Mountain Area is now officially in The National Wilderness Preservation System and all that entails for recreation and environment.  Our viewshed will also be protected. Hunchback Mountain Land Exchange Adds Parcel to Salmon Huckleberry Wilderness Area Release Date: Jan 11, 2013   Contact: Laura Pramuk:   503-668-1791 (office) or 503-314-2036 (cell) Mt. Hood National Forest Supervisor Chris Worth is pleased to announce the completion of the Hunchback Mountain Land Exchange.  This legislated land exchange added 171.75 acres to the Salmon Huckleberry Wilderness on the Mt. Hood National Forest with the Hunchback Mountain Property and 276.14 acres of valuable estuary habitat to the Siuslaw National Forest with the Lower Drift Creek Property.  “The National Wilderness Preservation System and future generations of Oregonians will benefit from increased recreation opportunities from access to the Wilderness, conservation of lands with wilderness qualities, and from the protection of fish and estuary habitat on the Siuslaw,” said Worth. This land exchange was part of the 2009 Omnibus Public Land Management Act which mandated three separate land exchanges for the Mt. Hood National Forest. These parcels are located in the vicinities of Cooper Spur/Government Camp, Port of Cascade Locks, and this recently completed exchange in the Hunchback Mountain area just south of the Zigzag Ranger Station. Hunchback Mountain is now protected under a Wilderness designation and will provide highly accessible routes to the Salmon Huckleberry Wilderness from the Zigzag and Welches communities. The Lower Drift Creek parcel contains bald eagle and spotted owl habitat, tidal marsh and estuary habitat, which supports coastal coho salmon (threatened), Chinook, steelhead, and sea-run cutthroat trout.  The addition of this parcel also provides recreational opportunities and economic benefit to local fishing communities.  The U. S. Forest Service would like to thank our outstanding partners in this exchange—Clackamas County and Western Rivers Conservancy.  We would also like to thank the Oregon Congressional Delegation for enabling this land exchange to take place by passing the legislation that allowed it to move forward.