The Mountain that was 'God' Part 8

Among these foothills and valleys, lies the region of the virgin forest. This area is characterized by huge firs and cedars, all tall, straight and graceful, without a limb for 75 to 100 feet. This is probably the most valuable area of timber in the world, and it is one of the grandest parts of the Park. A death-like silence generally pervades this cool, dark region, where few kinds of animal life find a congenial abode. Occasionally the stillness is disturbed by the Douglas squirrel, busily gnawing off the fir cones for his winter's supply, or by the gentle flutter of the coy wren, darting to and fro among the old, fallen logs. The higher forms of vegetable life are also restricted to a few odd varieties. The most common of these are such saprophytes as _pterospora andromedea_, _allotropa virgata_, the so-called barber's pole, and the Indian pipe. This curious, waxy white plant is generally admired by all who see it, but it quickly disappoints those admirers who gather it by turning black.

The mosses, liverworts, and lichens take possession of the trees and cover them with a unique decoration. The licorice fern often gains a foothold on the trees thus decorated, and grows luxuriantly, embedded in the deep growth of these plants.

It is nearly impossible to get through this region without following a road or trail. For the safety of its priceless forest, there are far too few trails. In case of a forest fire it would be impossible to reach some areas in time to combat it with any success. Many beautiful regions in the lower parts of the Park are {p.131} wholly inaccessible. These should be opened with proper roads and trails, not only for their own safety, but also for the benefit of visitors.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Indian Pipe.]

The alpine meadows begin to appear at an alt.i.tude of about 5,000 feet.

The real alpine trees, with their trim, straight trunks and drooping branches, are in strange contrast to their relatives of the lower alt.i.tude. The princ.i.p.al trees of the meadow area are the alpine fir, the alpine hemlock, and the Alaska cedar. These const.i.tute the greater part of the silva of Paradise Valley. There are a few trees of the Lovely fir in the lower part of the valley, and a few white-barked pines overlooking the glaciers at timber line.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Floral Carpet in Indian Henry's Park, showing "Mountain Heliotrope," more properly Valerian, and other flowers growing near the snow line.]

[Ill.u.s.tration {p.132}: Mosses and Ferns, in the forest reserve, on way to Longmire Springs.]

{p.133} [Ill.u.s.tration: A bank of White Heather.]

The trees of the park zone differ greatly on different slopes. On the northeast and east, the white-barked pine and the alpine spruce form no small part of the tree groups. The white-barked pine branches out like the scrub oak on the prairie. It is never seen at a low alt.i.tude.

The alpine spruce bears numerous cones all over the tree, and has sharp leaves, though not so sharp as its relative, the tideland spruce.

[Ill.u.s.tration: h.e.l.lebore (Veratrum Viride).]

Not only is there a difference in the trees on the different slopes of the Mountain, but there is a marked difference in the herbaceous plants as well. _Hesperogenia Strictlandi_ is a small, yellow plant of the celery family. This is very abundant, both in Spray Park and also in the country east of the Carbon Glacier, but rare on the south side.

_Gilia Nuttallii_, a large, phlox-like plant, is abundant only in the Indian Henry region. Two anemones, one b.u.t.tercup, three willows and one senecio seem to be confined to the White River country. The moss campion has been found only on Mowich.

The most noticeable and abundant flower on all slopes is the avalanche lily (_erythronium montanum_). This plant comes up through several inches of the old snow crust, and forms beautiful beds of pure white flowers, to the exclusion of nearly all other plants. There are often from seven to nine blossoms on a stem. This has other popular names, such as deer-tongue and adder-tongue. There is also a yellow species, growing with the other, but less abundant. It seldom has more than one {p.134} or two flowers on a stem. The yellow alpine b.u.t.tercup generally grows with the erythroniums. It also tries to rush the season by coming up through the snow. The western anemone is a little more deliberate, but is found quite near the snow. It may be known by its lavender, or purple flowers; and later by its large plume-like heads, which are no less admired than the flowers themselves.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Alpine Hemlock and Mountain Lilies. In the struggle for existence at the timber line, flowers prosper, but trees fight for life against storm and snow.]

The plants just mentioned are the harbingers of spring. Following them in rapid succession are many plants of various hues. The mountain dock, mountain dandelion, and potentilla seldom fail to appear later.

The asters, often wrongly called daisies, are represented by several species, some of which blossom early, and are at their best along with the spring flowers. The great majority of the composite family bloom later, and thus prolong the gorgeous array. The lupines add much to the beauty of this meadow region, both at a low alt.i.tude, and also in the region above timber line. Their bright purple flowers, in long racemes, with palmate leaves, are very conspicuous on the gra.s.sy slopes. Between timber line and 8,500 feet, Lyall's lupine grows in dense silk mats, with dark purple flowers--the most beautiful plant in that zone.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Mountain Asters.]

Four different kinds of heather are found on the Mountain. The red heather is the largest and the most abundant. It grows at a lower alt.i.tude than the others, and is sometimes, erroneously, called Scotch heather. There are two kinds of white heather. One forms a prominent part of the {p.135} flora, often growing with the red. The other is less conspicuous and grows about timber line. The yellow heather also grows at the same alt.i.tude, and is larger and more common than the others. It often forms beautiful areas where other vegetation is rare.

The white rhododendron is a beautiful shrub of the lower meadows. Its creamy white blossoms remind one of the cultivated azalea. There are several huckleberries, some with large bushes growing in the lower forest area, others small and adapted to the gra.s.sy meadows.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Studying the Phlox.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Squaw Gra.s.s, or Mountain Lily. (Xerophyllum tenax)]

The figwort family has many and curious representatives. The rose-purple monkey-flower is very common and conspicuous in the lower meadows, along the streams. It is nearly always accompanied by the yellow fireweed. Higher up, large meadow areas are arrayed in bright yellow by the alpine monkey-flower. Above timber line, two pentstemons, with matted leaves and short stems with brilliant purple and red flowers, cover large rocky patches, mixed here and there with lavender beds of the alpine phlox; while the amber rays of the golden aster, scattered through these variegated beds, lend their {p.136} charm to the rocky ridges. The Indian paint-brush, the speedwell, the elephant's trunk, and the pigeon bills are all well-known members of the large figwort family which does much to embellish the Mountain meadows. The valerian, often wrongly called "mountain heliotrope," is very common on the gra.s.sy slopes. Its odor can often be detected before it is seen. The rosy spiraea, the mountain ash, and the wild currant, are three common shrubs in this area. There are also numerous small herbaceous plants of the saxifrage family, some forming dense mats to the exclusion of other plants. The mertensias, polemoniums, and shooting stars add much to the purple and blue coloring.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Avalanche Lilies (Erythronium montanum), sometimes called deer tongues, forcing their way through the lingering snow.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Copyright, 1909, By Asahel Curtis. Moraine Park, Sluiskin Mountains and Mystic Lake.]

Two liliaceous plants of low alt.i.tude are always objects of marked interest. The Clintonia, popularly called alpine beauty, begins in the forest area, and continues up to the lower meadows. This may be known by its pure white blossoms and blue berries. Its leaves are oblong in tufts of from two to four. They spring up near the roots. The other is xerophyllum, mountain lily, sometimes called squaw gra.s.s, because it is used by the Indians in basket making. This has tall {p.138} stems with small fragrant flowers and coa.r.s.e gra.s.s-like leaves.

[Ill.u.s.tration {p.137}: Sunrise in Indian Henry's Park, with view of the southwest slope and Peak Success, showing Purple Asters, with bunches of h.e.l.lebore in center of the flower field.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Anemone Seed Pods.]

The orchid family has a few curious saprophytic representatives on the lower slopes. Mertin's coral-root is one of the most common. This generally grows in cl.u.s.ters in the mossy woods, along the trail or government road above Longmire Springs. It is very common all around the mountain at an alt.i.tude of 3,000 to 4,500 feet. With it, grow two tway-blades and the rattlesnake plantain. In bogs, two species of piperia, with long spikes of greenish flowers, are abundant. In drier situations, a small form of the ladies' tresses is easily recognized by its spiral spike of small white flowers, which are more or less fragrant. In some of the swamps at the base of the mountain grows _Limnorchis leucostachys_. This is one of our most fragrant flowers, as well as one of the most beautiful, with its long spike of pure white blossoms.

Of the ferns, the common brake is sometimes seen on the slopes near the terminal moraines of the glaciers. On the old moraines and cliffs is found the pea fern (_cryptogramma acrostichoides_), so called because the pinnules of its fruiting fronds resemble those of a pea pod. This dainty little fern with its two kinds of fronds is always admired by mountain visitors. It is strictly a mountain fern. The deer fern also has two kinds of fronds, but this grows all the way from sea level to the glaciers, being at its best in the dense forest area. The delicate oak fern grows in great abundance from Eatonville to the timber line, and probably does more to beautify the woods than any other fern. The sword fern grows in dense, radiate cl.u.s.ters, all through the mossy woods. The fronds are often five or six feet in length. The maidenhair fern is found along streams, waterfalls and moist cliffs, reaching its highest development in the deep canyons cut through the dense forest.

On the very top of Pinnacle Peak and similar elevations, grows the beautiful mountain lace fern (_cheilanthes gracillima._) Nearly every tourist presses a souvenir of it in his notebook. _Phegopteris alpesteris_ is abundant along the glacial valleys, where the tall gra.s.ses and the beautiful array of alpine plants delight the eye.

These ferns and gra.s.ses give a rich green color to the varigated slopes where nature blends so many harmonious colors in matchless grandeur in this great fairyland of flowers.

{p.139} [Ill.u.s.tration: Wind Swept Trees on North Side, the last below the Snow line.]

The writer has a list of about three hundred and sixty species from the Mountain. It includes only flowering plants and ferns. There are more than twenty type species named from the Mountain, not a few of which are found nowhere else. Its geographical position makes it the boundary between the arctic plants from the North and the plants of Oregon and California from the South. Its great alt.i.tude has a wonderful effect on plant life. This is seen in the trees at timber line, where snow rests upon them for months. Their prostrate trunks and gnarled branches give ample testimony to their extreme struggle for existence. Where the ordinary plants cease to exist the snowy protococcus holds undisputed sway on the extensive snow fields. This is a small one-celled microscopic plant having a blood red color in one stage of its existence. Even in the crater, on the warm rocks of the rim, will be found three or four mosses--I have noted one there which is not found anywhere else--several lichens, and at least one liverwort.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Lupines.]

{p.140} [Ill.u.s.tration: Copyright, 1910, by E. F. Cutter. The Mountain, as seen from a high ridge in the Cascades near Green River Hot Springs, showing the north and east faces of the Peak, and Little Tahoma on the left.]

NOTES.

Rates, Trains, Hotel Accommodations.--The round-trip fare from Tacoma via the Tacoma Eastern is $6.00. This includes railway transportation to Ashford and automobile-stage ride from Ashford to Longmire Springs and return. Tickets are good for the season. To parties of ten or more traveling together a single ticket is issued at $5.00 per capita. A week-end ticket, Sat.u.r.day to Monday, is sold at $5.00. The rates from Seattle to the Springs are $1.50 more, in each case, than the Tacoma rates. The train schedule for 1911 follows:

SOUTHBOUND Leave Seattle 7.45 A.M. and 12.30 P.M.

Arrive Tacoma 8.55 A.M. and 1.40 P.M.

Leave Tacoma 9.05 A.M. and 1.50 P.M.

Arrive Ashford 11.20 A.M. and 4.05 P.M.

Leave Ashford 11.30 A.M. and 4.15 P.M.

Arrive at Inn 12.45 P.M. and 5.30 P.M.

NORTHBOUND Leave Inn 7.15 A.M. and 1.30 P.M.

Arrive Ashford 8.30 A.M. and 2.45 P.M.

Leave Ashford 8.40 A.M. and 2.55 P.M.

Arrive Tacoma 10.55 A.M. and 5.10 P.M.

Leave Tacoma 11.05 A.M. and 5.15 P.M.

Arrive Seattle 12.15 P.M. and 6.30 P.M.

The National Park Inn, Longmire Springs, provides excellent rooms in the Inn, with a large number of well-furnished and comfortable tents near by. The rates range from $2.50 to $3.75 a day, including meals.

The dining-room is under the Chicago, Milwaukee & Puget Sound dining-car management, which insures a satisfactory table.

At the older Longmire Hotel, the rate is $2.50 a day for room and board. This hotel is open all the year, and in winter is much frequented by persons seeking Winter sports, or making use of the mineral springs.

The springs are of great variety, and are highly recommended for their medicinal virtues. Within an area of several acres, there are a score of these springs, varying from the normal temperature of a mountain stream almost to blood heat. Well-appointed bathhouses are maintained.

Fee, including attendance, $1.00.

At Reese's Camp, in Paradise Park, and at Mrs. Hall's similar tent hotel in Indian Henry's Park, the charge for meals, with a tent for sleeping, is $2.50 per day.