Northwest Know-How: Trees

To live in the Pacific Northwest is to dwell in a kind ofbenevolent mystery.You might spend an entire week here before it dawnson you, during a sunbreak, that a dormant volcano hasbeen holding court behind the clouds all along. While hikingyou could easily wander past chanterelles like thoseyou’ll later savor at dinner, not recognizing their fanlikeforms amid the camouflage of a plush carpet of pine needles.On the water you might paddle in solitude—or yelpin surprise as a harbor seal pops up its whiskered face tosee what you’re up to.But the greatest secret keepers are our trees: tall, confident,constant. They shield our homes from neighbors,shade streams so the salmon can spawn in peace, muffleour voices with their branches, and offer our famouslyintroverted population a retreat from our rapidly growingcities. The lush woods that fringe our towns and cities withevery imaginable shade of green offer a warm, welcomingembrace and endless opportunities for exploration.There are epic trees, ponderous evergreens far toofat to hug, bathed in mist or sun, nourished by abundantsnowmelt. There are otherworldly trees, larches whosegolden glow gleams atop mountain crests each fall. Walkalong rocky beaches and you’ll glimpse madrones, theiroddly smooth bark peeling in strips as they stand sentinelover waterways that once ferried explorers. That whooshyou hear during winter is the wind combing the needles ofhemlocks and pines, spruces and firs. Better pull up yourhood: the rain may have paused, but you’ll be shockedwhen giant drops eventually descend from limbs highabove to trickle down your neck.In town trees serve as landmarks. In the country thetimberline forces us to hike ever higher to finally, finally(finally!) ascend beyond the conifer crowns to be able toglimpse the payoff: dazzling mountain lakes, a sweepingview of the valley below, a peek at Mount Baker orAdams or Hood, or Mount Rainier or Saint Helens orShasta shimmering in the distance.Our native trees loom large in our imaginationsbecause they’ve seen more than many of us will ever seein our lifetimes. And when our time is past, they’ll remainto witness the future.We hope this book helps you feel even more at homeon your next hike, ski run, or picnic now that you’ll bebetter able to recognize your neighbors.