Unit 22

Kid Mountain and Birch Mountain anchor the eastern and central portions, providing reliable landmarks for navigation and vantage points for glassing. McMurry Meadows and Sage Flat offer open basins for early-season hunting and water-seeking patterns. Birch Lake provides the unit's most reliable permanent water source, making it a natural focal point for elk movement.

These features allow hunters to divide the unit into predictable zones based on elevation and elk behavior rather than arbitrary grid patterns.

Sagebrush dominates the lower basins around 4,500-6,500 feet, transitioning to scattered lodgepole and whitebark pine as elevation increases. Between 6,500 and 8,500 feet, sparse timber gives way to alpine meadows and rocky ridges. Upper elevations above 9,500 feet support tundra-like vegetation on exposed granite and scree.

The majority of the unit sits above 6,500 feet with over 30 percent in true alpine terrain. This creates a compressed habitat gradient where elk concentrate in the transition zones during early season and push higher as hunting pressure builds.

Fair-quality road access with 42 miles of maintained roads provides multiple entry points, though roads terminate well below alpine hunting zones. Road density of 1.38 miles per square mile is moderate, concentrating initial access to specific corridors. Most pressure follows the roads, meaning off-trail hunters above trailhead access enjoy significantly less competition.

The steep terrain itself limits hunter distribution—many visitors stick to meadows and established trails rather than ascending exposed ridges. This creates pockets of relative solitude for those willing to gain elevation.

Unit 22 is a compact alpine unit nestled in California's high country, roughly 30 square miles of rugged terrain. Nearly all land is public, making access straightforward from a legal standpoint. The unit spans from lower elevation sagebrush basins climbing steeply into barren alpine peaks exceeding 13,600 feet.

The compression of 9,000+ feet of elevation change across minimal area creates dramatic terrain transitions and concentrated hunting pressure zones. Adjacent lower-elevation valleys provide natural escape routes for elk during hunting season.

Water is the unit's primary constraint. Birch Lake is the only named permanent source across 30 square miles of alpine terrain. Snowmelt-fed creeks exist seasonally in the meadow drainages but dry substantially by late August in typical years.

Spring water availability is sporadic and elevation-dependent. Any hunting strategy must account for this scarcity—elk movement patterns revolve around the few reliable sources, making water-hole hunting and understanding drainage corridors critical to success.

Elk are the primary game in this alpine unit, naturally following meadow and water-dependent patterns across the elevation gradient. Early season means hunting the transition zone between sagebrush and timber where elk graze morning and evening. As pressure increases, elk retreat to high basins and ridges where sparse timber provides minimal cover but maximum visibility for escape.

Mid to late season, focus shifts to Birch Lake and drainages as water becomes more precious. Glassing from the ridges yields results when calm weather permits; be prepared for vertical terrain and thin air. Success hinges on water source understanding and willingness to climb above the majority of road-bound hunters.