YLUPC
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Image The upper Snake River (left) is often braided and flanked by a fairly narrow band of forest on the toe of mountains. The lower Snake River (right) is carved into a forested plateau with wetlands. A seismic line is also depicted at right. (YG photos)
Land Status Non-Settlement Land, TG Yukon Land (R-11FS), NND Settlement Land (S-106B, S-130B, S-139B, S-148B, S-188B)
Objectives
  • Wilderness character is maintained.
  • Wilderness tourism and big-game outfitting industries are encouraged in a manner consistent with protection of sensitive ecological values, and within their carrying capacity.
  • Community cultural activities practiced without significant disturbance.
  • Unfettered movement and habitat use of Bonnet Plume and Redstone caribou herds, Dall’s sheep and other large mammals.
Rationale for Designation
  • “Source Peaks” of Snake and Bonnet Plume Rivers (and others), the Snake River watershed, and Bonnet Plume Lake were recommended consideration for protection by the Peel River Watershed Advisory Committee.
  • From the perspective of protected area network planning, the unit is “buffered” by the Arctic Red (to the east) and the Bonnet Plume (to the west) Canadian Heritage Rivers.
  • A large and mostly pristine watershed that is well suited for wildness tourism and big game outfitting.
  • The Bonnet Plume caribou herd is of the Northern Mountain ecotype, which is listed as “Special Concern” under SARA; some of its key areas are within this unit.
  • Wide-ranging species like caribou and grizzly bears need large tracks of largely unfragmented landscape. This unit may offer an unusual opportunity to conserve sufficient habitat for these species.
  • Large unfragmented landscapes with N-S oriented valleys and large elevation ranges are well suited to allowing species to shift their ranges in response to climate change.
  • Despite apparently high mineral potential, remoteness and other factors have precluded any development to date. Future mineral development is therefore speculative.
  • Aerial access for mineral exploration has already impacted other land uses; road development that is required to support mining would be almost irreconcilable with them.
  • Lower oil and gas potential due to access difficulties, and moderate quality of the Peel Plateau and Plain Basin.
Biophysical Setting
Setting Deep forested valley and a large river set in rugged mountains that give way to an incised forested plateau with many wetlands.
Ecoregions Peel River Plateau (north) and Mackenzie Mountains (south)
Bioclimate Zones Taiga Wooded, Taiga Shrub, and Alpine
Ecological Resources
Significant Wildlife and Fish Habitats
Caribou High value winter habitat and some key areas of the Bonnet Plume herd concentrated along forested valley bottoms and on lower plateau; moderate-low winter habitat for the Porcupine herd, with little use in recent decades.
Moose High habitat suitability in valley bottoms; low-nil late winter habitat suitability elsewhere.
Marten The most extensive high quality winter habitat in the region, mostly in plateau taiga forests; quality winter habitat in valley-bottom forests, poor elsewhere.
Sheep Regionally significant concentration of mineral licks and associated movement corridors (good for viewing by tourists). Concentration of moderate value winter habitat and documented habitat use (winter and lambing seasons) and great importance to big game outfitters.
Fish Fish presence potential in larger rivers and streams, several known fish occupancy and winter open water sites.
Grizzly Bear High grizzly bear habitat suitability in riparian corridors and valleys.
Peregrine Falcon Regionally significant concentration of peregrine falcon nesting and foraging habitat along lower Snake River.
Birds (General) Extensive waterbird habitat in riparian areas and on lower plateau; low-moderate breeding birds species richness; several species of conservation concern.
Vegetation Wide range of vegetation. Moderate rarity/endemism along the transition between mountains and plateau.
Wetlands, Lakes and Riparian Areas Three larger lakes in the headwaters (Goz, Duo, and Bonnet Plume Lakes). Numerous wetlands and small lakes (including Popcornfish Lake) in the lower plateau areas.
Permafrost Continuous permafrost is predicted.
Special Features This area has known palaeontological sites with fossil fish and trilobites. The sedimentary rocks throughout this LMU have high potential to yield additional Paleozoic fossil specimens.
Heritage, Social and Cultural Resources
Heritage Resources Very few cabins and travel routes.
Palaeontological Resources The coal bearing deposits of the Bonnet Plume Formation in this region have high potential to be associated with Mesozoic plant and vertebrate fossils. There have been woolly mammoth fossils collected on Noisy Creek in the past. The carbonate rocks of the Road River Formation in this region have known trilobite fossil localities and have high potential to yield further Paleozoic fossils.
Economic Development
Transportation and Access Old winter road and seismic lines in lower portion; a conceptual access route running along most of the Snake Valley has been identified that links Margaret Lake to Duo Lake.
Traditional Economy TG trapping area and NND traditional harvesting and wildlife areas, especially sheep.
Recreation and Tourism Highest current value in the region. High value wilderness paddling and access to hiking.
Forestry Little potential for forestry.
Big Game Outfitters and Trapping Bonnet Plume Outfitters Ltd. and Widrig Outfitting Ltd. Extensive high value hunting in mountainous areas.
Oil and Gas Resources Peel Plateau and Plain Basin, which overlaps with the lower plateau portion of this unit, has moderate oil and gas potential. Two abandoned wells.
Mineral Resources Very large proven iron deposit; some high zinc-lead potential with a known deposit; small area of coal potential. Very high gold potential. Approximately 195 quartz claims and 525 Iron-mica leases.
Special Management Considerations
  1. The Northern Mountain Caribou Action Plan may be relevant to management of land-use activities in this unit.
  2. The Bonnet Plume Heritage River Management Plan provides further direction for management of land-use activities in the portion of this unit that includes the headwaters of the Bonnet Plume River.

Indicator gauges

Surface disturbance (km²)
Linear disturbance (km)

Cumulative effects