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Copyright © Ralph Maughan Copper Basin in late June. Copper Basin is a high mountain valley midway between Hailey and Mackay, Idaho. It is situated between the Pioneer Mountains to its north, south, and west, and the White Knobs to its east. Copper Basin is drained by the East Fork of the Big Lost River. Due to the surrounding mountains it is a very scenic place as long as you don't look at the streams and vegetation closely. The Lost River Range District of the Challis National Forest has allowed it to be badly overgrazed by cattle for many years. The same ranchers overgraze the adjacent, highly scenic (from the distance) Pioneer Mountains.
Humps like this show the wetlands are on the path to total destruction by cattle. Oddly enough a wolf pack, the Wildhorse pack, formed in the area in 1998. It did not kill cattle and lasted until 2002 when the pack split in all directions after the natural death of the alpha female. In 2004 a new pack, the Copper Basin Pack, was discovered. It had at least nine wolves. At the end of the year political pressure was being brought to bear to destroy the pack. In 2005 after killing a number of cattle, the new pack was reduced to just 3 wolves. |
