The Albion Mountains are located southwest of Burley, Idaho within Cassia County. The small towns of Albion and Declo are located to the north, Elba to the east, Almo to the southeast, and Oakley to the west. The Albion Mountain range is included in the Albion Mountain Division of Sawtooth National Forest. Limited sections of State of Idaho and Bureau of Land Management lands adjoin the forest or are located nearby. The City of Rocks National Reserve shares a boundary with the National Forest at the far south end of the range. See Figures M-1 and M-2. Much of the land adjoining the Albion Mountain Division and adjacent public lands is held in private ownership.

The Albion Mountains and adjacent lands are part of the Western Basin and Range ecosystem subregion (Ecoregions of the United Sates, USDA Forest Service,1994). Elevations range from 4,500 feet on BLM lands to the heights of Mount Harrison at 9,265 feet and Cache Peak at 10,339 feet. The Albion Range consists of Paleozoic, Cambrian, and Precambrian sedimentary formations. The southern portion of the range contains a large mass of Tertiary granite. This has weathered to form the pinnacles and domes found at City of Rocks (Roadside Geology of Idaho, Alt and Hyndman, 1989).

Annual precipitation for the Albion Mountains and adjacent lands ranges from less than 10 inches in drier years to more than 18 inches in wetter years. The highest precipitation amounts occur from April-June and again from December-January. Average annual temperatures range from daytime highs of 26 ⁰F or less in January to 70 ⁰F or more in July (Mt. Harrison RNA Est. Records, Forest Service Intermountain Region). Improved public access is limited to only a few routes; higher elevations are generally inaccessible from the end of November to the end of June.

The recreational values of the Albion Mountain Division are very high. Pomerelle Ski Resort is located to the east of Mount Harrison. Pomerelle Resort, Howell Canyon and other areas are popular sites for snowmobiles, skiing, and other winter sports. Summer and fall recreation use is very high; and includes hiking, mountain biking, camping, fishing, and hunting. Lake Cleveland is an improved campground facility. Independence Lakes are a popular destination late in the summer once access is available for hikers and other forms of backcountry travel. A hang-glider launch site is located to the northwest of the Mount Harrison summit. The fire lookout on top of Mt. Harrison and the alpine/subalpine wildflower displays are an extremely popular destination, with a large volume of visitors annually (Christ's Indian Paintbrush Conservation Agreement, US Fish and Wildlife, 1995).

The Albion Mountains and associated public lands support a wide range of plant community types. Lower elevations support Sagebrush-Grass, Shrub-Grass, and Shrub-Juniper communities. Juniper species include both the Utah and Rocky Mountain Juniper. Higher elevations support Quaking Aspen, Sub-alpine Fir, and Limber Pine associations (Mt. Harrison RNA Est. Records, Forest Service Intermountain Region). Communities of Low-Sagebrush, a wide variety of native forbs and grasses, and many types of aquatic and riparian species can also be found in the region. A Research Natural Area is located near the summit of Mt. Harrison. Research Natural Areas are designated areas intended to maintain and preserve natural processes and biological or physical features.

Four rare plants are found within the Research Natural Area and in other Albion Mountain locations. These are Davis Wavewing (Cymopterus davisii), Vivid Green Aster (Machaerantha laetvirens), Shasta Aster (Machaerantha shastensis var. latifolia) and Christ's Indian Paintbrush (Castilleja christii). Davis Wavewing is known from two other locations near Cache Peak. Vivid Green Aster is known from two other Idaho sites and one in Nevada. The Shasta Aster is a disjunct (physically separated) population from other populations in Oregon.

Christ's Indian Paintbrush is endemic to Mount Harrison, and has not been found anywhere else in the range. Only one population has been found, covering approximately 200 acres. The population is at risk to off-road vehicle use and recreation activities (Castilleja christli Conservation Strategy, Moseley and Hudak, 1995). Livestock grazing has become a threat, although it is supposed to be prohibited within the Research Natural Area and precluded from the rare plant habitat at the summit. Livestock impacts occurred extensively within the RNA and rare plant areas during the 1999 grazing season (Petition to List Castilleja christii, Prunty, 1999).

Watershed values of Mount Harrison and the other high elevation regions of the Albion Mountains are very high (Castilleja christii Conservation Strategy, Moseley and Hudak, 1995). Many springs and the headwaters of a number of small creeks originate from points within the Albion Mountains. Springs on adjacent BLM lands also serve as headwaters for a number of small creeks. This water is needed and used to sustain native riparian zones, to sustain fish populations and wildlife, and for recreation purposes. Many of these water sources are currently used by livestock; flows that reach lower elevations are primarily diverted for valley agricultural purposes.

The wildlife values of the Albion Mountains and adjacent public lands are high.

The waters of the Albion Mountains are important to the survival of rare fish populations.

Remnant Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout exist in the small streams above the Almo area.

The north drainages of the Albion Mountains were historic Yellowstone Cutthroat habitat, and remnant populations may still be present (Idaho Department of Fish and Game, 2000).

Many mammals, both game and non-game, rely on the Albion Mountains and adjacent habitat. An important mule deer migration corridor extends out from east side of the Albion Mountains (between Elba and Almo), across the Cove-Grape Creek BLM allotment, and east to the Jim Sage Mountains. Lower elevations of the Albion Range are important mule deer winter habitat (Idaho Department of Fish and Game, 2000).

Bat species rely on the Albion Mountain and adjacent water sources and insect populations. Bats roost and forage from lower elevations all the way up to Mount Harrison (Bat Sites of Southeastern Idaho. Austin, 2000). Snowshoe Hares inhabit the Albion Mountains, and the range contains potential habitat for remnant Canada Lynx populations. The composition of associated plant communities can be altered by livestock until they are no longer capable of supporting Canada Lynx or their prey (Idaho's Canada Lynx: Pieces of the Puzzle, Lewis and Wenger, 1998).

Many species of migratory and resident birds rely on the habitat provided by the Albion Mountains and adjacent public lands. Species presence varies widely according to elevation, habitat, and habitat conditions. Idaho state sensitive species such as the Northern Goshawk, Boreal Owl, Western Burrowing Owl, Ferruginous Hawk, Northern Pygmy Owl, and Loggerhead Shrike rely on the habitats of this region (CDC Data Base, Idaho Department of Fish and Game, 1999-2000). Sage Grouse, Blue Grouse, and many other species also rely on the region and its habitat.

Amphibian and reptile populations inhabit the Albion Mountains and adjacent public lands. Amphibians can be found as high as Lake Cleveland, below the top of Mount Harrison (Idaho Museum of Natural History Data Base, Peterson, 1999). Amphibian populations rely on riparian and aquatic conditions for survival, and are especially sensitive to disturbances in these environments (Idaho's Reptiles and Amphibians, Idaho Department of Fish and Game, 1994). Terrestrial gastropods (snails) are also present in the Albion Mountains. Like amphibians, the gastropods are sensitive to changes in their environment and subject to extirpation from disturbances such as livestock grazing (Mollusks; Underdogs and Indicators, Freist, 2000).

Habitat conditions can have profound short and long-term effects on which species are able to successfully use a location. Mammal and bird observations were recorded during the surveys performed at a wide variety of riparian locations. This data is included in Appendix F for the benefit of interested land managers or members of the public. The presence or non-presence of species, presence of habitat-generalists, and other clues provided by the frequency of observations can aid in determining the health of a riparian system or identifying needed changes. Although short-term data is not definitive for these locations, it is indicative and has been made available as a management resource.

The Albion Mountains and adjacent public lands are currently being used for livestock grazing purposes. Livestock utilization of riparian habitat can lead to adverse impacts of vegetation, watershed, and wildlife values if proper guidelines and standards are not applied. A survey has been performed of representative seeps, springs, and riparian zones in the Albion Mountain Division and on adjacent public lands in order to determine the condition of riparian habitats following the 1999 grazing season. Each of the following summaries contains a short description of impacts, recommendations for action, and photographic documentation. The recommendations reflect current (year 2000) riparian recovery times recommended by USDA Forest Service Intermountain Region and Rocky Mountain Research Station scientists.