Craig Mountain Lake
Ownership: FS
Ecoregion: Blue Mountains
Forest: Wallowa-Whitman NF
District: Eagle Cap RD
Ecological and Physical Description
Craig Mountain Lake proposed Research Natural Area (pRNA) was selected to represent an alpine permanent pond and meadow. Both features are found on the south side of the pRNA. Together the lake and meadow form a cirque with steep head walls and a rim separating it from the drainage below. In the wet, poorly drained depressions there are a mix of graminoids and mosses. Sheep sedge (Carex illota) and mountain sedge (Carex scopulorum) co-dominate where there are wet meadow forbs. Higher elevations within the pRNA have scattered patches of whitebark pine (Pinus albicaulis) and subalpine fir (Abies lasiocarpa) with pink mountainheath (Phyllodoce empetriformis) meadows.