As you hike up the trail you come to the approximately 800 year old Douglas Fir we lovingly call “Grandpa”. You can see a Western Hemlock growing out of its side. This is typically how these two trees interact. Douglas Firs are very shade intolerant and cannot grow in their own shadow. However, Hemlocks thrive in limited lighting so they are able to grow under the larger Douglas Firs. Notice the difference in the bark of these two trees. Sometimes it is easier to identify these large trees by their bark since it is not always possible to see the needles. If you look around, you will see other large trees, as well as some old stumps. Although the lower portion of this property was logged for building materials in the early 1900’s, the upper portion is still virtually an intact ancient forest ecosystem. The entire Burntboot valley as well as the Middle Fork Snoqualmie valley from Goldmyer on up has miraculously never been logged and provides a rare opportunity to visit one of the last remaining low elevation, intact ancient forest ecosystems. As you continue up the trail, you will see huckleberry bushes lining both sides and feather moss growing beneath
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Feather or ‘Step’ Moss (Hylocomium splendens). |
Blue Huckleberry (Vaccinium ovalifolium), Black Huckleberry (Vaccinium membranaceum), Red Huckleberry (Vaccinium parvifolium) and False Huckleberry/False Azalea (Menziesia ferruginea): The Latin genus name “Vaccinium” refers to the vaccine-like shape on the bottom of the berry. Other berries in this genus are blueberries and cranberries. It takes some close comparison to distinguish the blue from the black huckleberries. All the varieties of huckleberries in these woods produce delicious but tart edible berries, usually in late August. The flavor of the berries and each bush’s productivity is highly dependent on the weather patterns of a particular year. The False Huckleberry or False Azalea commonly growing next to the huckleberries is not edible and does not have berries at the same time as the huckleberries
Blue Huckleberry
Red Huckleberry
False Huckleberry