FACILITY MASTER PLAN

FOR THE

BIGHORN NATIONAL FOREST

October 2002

Chapter 5: Med Wheel / Paintrock

Summary of Facilities, Workforce and Needs

Medicine Wheel / Paintrock Ranger District

Porcupine Ranger Dwelling at Porcupine Ranger Station

Overview: Medicine Wheel / Paintrock Ranger District

Medicine Wheel / Paintrock (MWPR) District Office is located in Lovell, Wyoming. The district covers the northwest and west-central portion of the Bighorn NF. Some of the major features on the district include Shell Falls, and the Medicine Wheel.

Shell Falls, which is on the west side of the Bighorn Mountains, is located off of Highway 14. The visitor center receives over 300,000 visitors per year, which makes it one of the most visited sites in Region 2.

The Medicine Wheel is a prehistoric structure built of rock in the shape of a wheel with 28 radiating spokes. The Medicine Wheel, which also gets a large number of visitors per year, is sacred to Native Americans.

Workforce: Medicine Wheel / Paintrock Ranger District

Permanent Workforce

Current

The organization chart lists 7 Permanent Seasonals and 13 PFTs. Currently 2 of these positions are vacant. 12 of the PFTs work out of the district office in Lovell. The other PFT has their duty station at the office in Greybull. All 7 of the Permanent Seasonals report to Greybull as well. The Organization Chart for the Medicine Wheel / Paintrock district is listed in Appendix C (Chart C-7).

Anticipated changes:

Due to the increase in fire funding, additional PFT positions may be added in the future.

Seasonal Workforce

Current

In FY01, there were 54 seasonals working on the MWPR District. This does not include the additional 6 S.O. seasonals who will be working out of Porcupine Ranger Station. Twenty of those make up the Wyoming Interagency Hot Shot Crew, whose home base in the IR Crew Quarters in Greybull, although they are gone at stretches of 2 to 3 weeks at a time during the summer. Porcupine will house 23, Greybull 20, Shell 15, and Paintrock 2.

In Appendix C, Table C-1 shows the locations the seasonals will be housed and working out of in FY01 site by site. It also shows the anticipated maximum number of seasonals that will be staying there in any given year.

Anticipated changes:

There are no anticipated changes in the total summer seasonal workforce, other than the new fire seasonal positions. However, the location of that workforce is expected to move around the districts from year to year.

Admin Sites & Facilities: Medicine Wheel / Paintrock Ranger District

The district office is a leased facility in Lovell, Wyoming. The warehouse is adjacent to the office, and is leased as well.

The two major work centers on the district are Porcupine and Shell Ranger Stations. There is one smaller site on the mountain that gets some use - Paintrock Guard Station. The last site on the mountain is Long View, though the Forest Service has not used it in many years, and it is in disrepair.

Greybull Work Center is located off the mountain in the town of Greybull, and is the headquarters for the Wyoming Interagency Fire Crew. The IR Crew Quarters houses these 20 firefighters. On the same site as the IRCQ is the Greybull Office/Shop, which is used for office and storage space. There are a couple of storage outbuildings on the Greybull site.

The other two sites on the district are the Greybull Dwelling and Lovell Dwelling sites.

There are 38 FA&O facilities on the Medicine Wheel / Paintrock (MWPR) District. Two of them are leased, and the other 36 are Forest Service owned. The MWPR District has the oldest buildings on the forest, with 17% over 70 years old, and 64% over 50 years old.

Following is a list of all the sites located on the MWPR and a brief description of the facilities located at those sites:

MEDICINE WHEEL / PAINTROCK DISTRICT OFFICE SITE (Site #301)

The Medicine Wheel / Paintrock District Office is located in a leased facility in Lovell. There is also a leased garage at the site, used for storage. The lease runs through 2004, with a 5-year renewable option.

#3333: Lovell Leased Office

This is a 2,976 sq. ft. leased building constructed in 1989. It is used as office space for the Medicine Wheel and Paintrock Districts. The current lease is expected to be maintained.

#3334: Lovell Leased Garage

This is a 1,224 sq. ft. leased building constructed in 1989. It is used as a vehicle garage, woodworking shop and as storage space. The current lease is expected to be maintained.

Site Utilities

Water: City of Lovell

Wastewater: City of Lovell

Electricity: Public utilities

Phone: Public utilities

Other: Natural gas - Public utilities

Key Issues or Problems

None - maintain current leases.

LOVELL RANGER DWELLING & GARAGE SITE (Site #302)

There are 2 buildings at this site: The Ranger's Dwelling and a garage. They are located in Lovell. Currently they are used to house a permanent employee. This has been its historic use.

#3529: Lovell Ranger's Dwelling

This is a 1,524 sq. ft. building constructed in 1939. It is used for PFT housing. However, since the demand for housing in Lovell is not extremely high, the forest is recommending this facility for disposal.

#3552: Lovell Dwelling Garage

This is an 884 sq. ft. building constructed in 1940, in conjunction with building #3529. It is used as a garage and storage space for the occupants of the dwelling. Along with the dwelling the forest is recommending this facility for disposal.

Site Utilities

Water: City of Lovell

Wastewater: City of Lovell

Electricity: Public utilities

Phone: Public utilities

Other: Natural gas - Public utilities

Key Issues or Problems

Both of these buildings are recommended for disposal, due to a low demand for Permanent Employee housing in Lovell.

PORCUPINE RANGER STATION (Site #303)

Porcupine Ranger Station is one of the two major work centers on the MWPR District. It is located off of Hwy 14A, near the Medicine Wheel. Hwy 14A is a seasonal road, which is closed, on average, from November 1 to May 15.

There are 11 buildings at Porcupine. Four of them are housing facilities, 5 are used for storage, and 2 are toilets.

#3515: Porcupine RS Guard Cabin

This is a 460 sq. ft. building constructed in 1930. It is used for seasonal employee housing. Maintain as housing.

#3530: Porcupine RS Ranger Dwelling

This is a 2,100 sq. ft. building constructed in 1939. It is used for seasonal employee housing. Maintain as housing.

#3535: Porcupine RS CQ/Office

This is a 1,040 sq. ft. building constructed in 1940. It is used for seasonal employee housing. Maintain as housing.

#3541: Porcupine RS Storage Shed

This is a 480 sq. ft. building constructed in 1987. It is used as a fire cache. Maintain as a fire cache.

#3545: Porcupine RS Flammable Storage

This is a 59 sq. ft. building constructed in 1975. It is used as a flammable storage building. The Forest would like to replace this building.

#3553: Porcupine RS Barn/Shop

This is a 2,186 sq. ft. building constructed in 1939. It is used as a tack and storage building. Maintain as a tack and storage building.

#3575: Porcupine RS 10-Person Barracks

This is a 2,295 sq. ft. building constructed in 1988. It is used for seasonal employee housing. Maintain as housing.

#3617: Porcupine RS Paint Dugout

This is a 64 sq. ft. building constructed in 1939. It is currently used for paint storage. The Forest is recommending this structure for disposal.

#3618: Porcupine RS Toilet #1

This is a 16 sq. ft. building constructed in 1940. It is used as a toilet. The Forest would like to replace this building.

#3628: Porcupine RS Pesticide Storage

This is a 179 sq. ft. building constructed in 1985. It is used for pesticide storage. Maintain as pesticide storage.

#3635: Porcupine RS Toilet #2

This is a 96 sq. ft. building constructed in 1960. It is used as a public toilet for visitors to the ranger station. This toilet is not accessible and should be replaced with one of an accessible design.

Trailer Pads

There is 1 trailer pad at this site complete with electrical, water and wastewater connections.

Site Utilities

Water: Onsite spring system

Wastewater: Onsite septic tanks and leach fields

Electricity: Public utilities

Phone: None

Other: Propane supplied to many of the buildings

Key Issues or Problems

Most of the facilities at Porcupine are log buildings. Many of them have problems with water & snow damaged logs, especially the sill logs. Therefore, there is a large amount of deferred maintenance at this site, totaling over $288,000.

GREYBULL WORK CENTER (Site #401)

Greybull Work Center is located in the small town of Greybull. The Wyoming Interagency Fire Crew uses the IR Crew Quarters for housing in the summer. The Office/Shop is the duty station of the permanent, permanent seasonal, and seasonal fire employees. The other two buildings on the site are small storage buildings.

#3520: Greybull Office/Shop

This is a 4,355 sq. ft. building constructed in 1940. It is currently used as an office for the Wyoming Hotshots. The forest would like to remodel this building to provide a more useable office and conference area. Prior to reorganization, this building was used as the District Office.

#3521: Greybull IR Crew Quarters

This is a 6,656 sq. ft. building constructed in 1940. It was remodeled in 1996. It is currently used as housing for seasonal employees. Maintain this building as seasonal employee housing.

#3522: Greybull Flammable Storage

This is a 240 sq. ft. building constructed in 1963. It is used as a flammable storage building. This building should be remodeled and used as a pesticide storage building after flammable storage lockers have been installed in the shop.

#3625: Greybull Lean-to

This is a 100 sq. ft. building constructed in 1970. It is used as a storage building. Maintain as a storage structure.

Site Utilities

Water: City of Greybull

Wastewater: City of Greybull

Electricity: Public utilities

Phone: Public utilities

Other: Natural gas - Public Utility

Key Issues or Problems

In 2001, with assistance from the R.O., the Forest prepared a site development plan to determine current and future needs at this site, especially in the areas of permanent and seasonal housing, meeting space, office space, and storage. This is enclosed in Appx. F.

GREYBULL RANGER DWELLING & GARAGE SITE (Site #402)

There are 2 buildings at this site: The Greybull Dwelling and a garage. They are located in Greybull. Currently they are used to house a permanent employee. This has been its historic use, and the forest would like to retain this facility for this type of use.

#3524: Greybull Dwelling

This is a 1,728 sq. ft. building constructed in 1940. It is used as PFT housing. Maintain this building as housing for permanent employees.

#3554: Greybull Dwelling Garage

This is an 875 sq. ft. building constructed in 1940. It is used as a garage for vehicles and storage. Maintain this building as a garage.

Site Utilities

Water: City of Greybull

Wastewater: City of Greybull

Electricity: Public utilities

Phone: Public utilities

Other: Natural gas - Public utilities

Key Issues or Problems

This site was surveyed during our Facilities Deferred Maintenance (DM) surveys, and the dwelling has over $37,000 worth of DM needs. This is the only dwelling outside the Forest boundary that the Forest wants to keep. Part of the reason is to maintain a Forest Service presence in Greybull after the closing of the district office here.

SHELL RANGER STATION (Site #403)

Shell Ranger Station is one of two large work centers on this district. It is located on the southern half of the district off of Highway 14. Shell is closed during the winter months. There are 4 housing facilities, 3 storage/workshop buildings, 1 toilet and 1 pumphouse at the site

#3510: Shell RS Crew Quarters

This is a 576 sq. ft. building constructed in 1964. It is used as housing for seasonal employees. Maintain this building as seasonal employee housing.

#3523: Shell RS Ranger's Dwelling

This is a 1,600 sq. ft. building constructed in 1940. It is used as housing for seasonal employees. Maintain this building as seasonal employee housing.

#3537: Shell RS Guard Cabin

This is a 640 sq. ft. building constructed in 1937. It is used as housing for seasonal employees. The forest would like to replace this building with a new one, since it is in very poor shape, with over $74,000 worth of deferred maintenance.

#3544: Shell RS Crew Qtrs / Office

This is a 990 sq. ft. building constructed in 1940. It is currently used as a VIS and as housing for seasonal employees. Maintain this building as a VIS and as seasonal employee housing.

#3555: Shell RS Barn / Garage

This is a 2,050 sq. ft. building constructed in 1939. It is used as a garage, workshop and for storage. Maintain this building for its current use.

#3600: Shell RS Flammable Storage

This is a 48 sq. ft. building constructed in 1965. It is used as a flammable storage building. The forest would like to dispose of this building and replace it with new flammable storage cabinets.

#3606: Shell RS Pumphouse

This is a 196 sq. ft. building constructed in 1999. It is used to house a water storage tank, pumps and controls for a water system. Maintain this building as a pumphouse.

#3619: Shell RS Toilet

This is a 16 sq. ft. building constructed in 1940. It is used as a toilet. The Forest would like to replace this building with an accessible toilet.

#3624: Shell RS Small Storage

This is a 54 sq. ft. building constructed in 1940. It is used as a storage building. This building is recommended for disposal.

Trailer Pads

There are 2 trailer pads at this site complete with electrical, water and wastewater connections.

Site Utilities

Water: Onsite well

Wastewater: Onsite septic tanks and leach fields

Electricity: Public utilities

Phone: None

Other: Propane is supplied to many of the buildings

Key Issues or Problems

The Deferred Maintenance (DM) surveys have been completed at Shell. The 5 large buildings on the site have a combined $275,000 worth of DM. Two reasons this amount is so high are because of the remoteness of the site (70% increase in cost estimates) and the fact that the buildings are eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places (50% increase).

The seasonal housing capacity at Shell was at it's maximum in 2001. For the long-term, the forest would like to add additional housing at shell, possibly constructing a large 10-person barracks to increase the space as well as allow the forest to remove one of the older run down housing facilities. In the interim, a trailer may be rented and placed here for temporary quarters.

PAINTROCK GUARD STATION (Site #404)

Paintrock Guard Station is a small site, used mainly for part-time housing & some storage. Paintrock is a remote site close to the west border of the Cloud Peak Wilderness. This makes it a good base camp location for seasonal wilderness rangers on the west side of the mountain.

#3525: Paintrock Guard Cabin

This is a 614 sq. ft. building constructed in 1959. It is used for seasonal employee housing. Maintain as housing for seasonal employees.

#3626: Paintrock GS Toilet

This is a 16 sq. ft. building constructed in 1960. It is used as a toilet. This building is recommended for disposal and should be replaced with a new toilet.

#3627: Paintrock GS Shed

This is a 79 sq. ft. building constructed in 1960. It is used as a storage building. Maintain as a storage building.

Site Utilities

Water: Onsite well

Wastewater: None (other than toilet)

Electricity: None

Phone: None

Other: Propane

Key Issues or Problems

There are no immediate concerns besides a small amount ($1,500) of critical deferred maintenance. However the non-critical deferred maintenance for the Guard Cabin is $62,331.

LONGVIEW GUARD CABIN SITE (Site #503)

The Longview Guard Cabin site is another very remote site. The site was abandoned by the Forest Service in the late 1920's, and was leased out for the next 30 years. Since 1960, it has been used as a cow camp and hunting camp by range permittees.

#3495: Long View RS Spring House

This is a 63 sq. ft. building constructed in 1909. This building is currently vacant. The Forest is considering recommending this building for disposal.

#3496: Long View RS Storage Building

This is a 49 sq. ft. building constructed in 1909. This building is currently vacant. The Forest is considering recommending this building for disposal.

#3497: Long View RS Barn

This is a 525 sq. ft. building constructed in 1909. This building is currently vacant. The Forest is considering recommending this building for disposal.

#3499: Long View Ranger Station

This is a 601 sq. ft. building constructed in 1909. This building is currently vacant. The Forest is considering recommending this building for disposal.

#3536: Long View RS Toilet

This is a 15 sq. ft. building constructed in 1909. This building is currently vacant. The Forest is considering recommending this building for disposal.

Site Utilities

Water - None

Wastewater - None (other than toilet)

Electricity - None

Phone - None

Key Issues or Problems

The forest has not decided the future of this site. Most of the buildings are dilapidated, and it is doubtful the forest will see a need to invest any money into this site. Most likely, the Forest will dispose of these buildings.

Challenges and Opportunities: Medicine Wheel / Paintrock Ranger District

Medicine Wheel / Paintrock District has the oldest buildings on the forest, however most of those are at the Long View Site, which is currently not used by the Forest Service.

One of the district priorities is to rehabilitate some of the buildings at Porcupine Ranger Station. Many of them have problems related to water damage. The site does not drain well in places, and snow piles up next to some of the buildings, which causes sill logs to rot. In addition, 4 of the buildings were built over 60 years ago, and thus some of the interiors need work as well. All 4 of these buildings are eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places. In addition to normal sources of funding for facilities maintenance, the district would like to look for alternative funding sources, such as Passport In Time, to rehabilitate some of these buildings.

Shell is another site where the forest could use additional quality seasonal housing. For FY '01, the workforce at Shell is 15, while the capacity is 13. Therefore, temporary housing will need to be set up in order to accommodate everyone.