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owmyknees
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owmyknees
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PostWed Jul 26, 2017 7:22 pm 
I don't know trees, but I want to know trees. These photos were taken on the Green Mountain trail, lower wooded section. There are 2 photos of most trees, one where I tried to get an up close of the leaves, and another where I tried to capture the bark. The photos: http://imgur.com/a/8ywg8

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Kim Brown
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PostWed Jul 26, 2017 8:19 pm 
And I think I know exactly where that yellow-cedar is, too. Unless I'm a dweeb, which I am, but unless I'm a dweeb, there's only one along the trail. I love those trees.

"..living on the east side of the Sierra world be ideal - except for harsher winters and the chance of apocalyptic fires burning the whole area." Bosterson, NWHiker's marketing expert
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Pyrites
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PostWed Jul 26, 2017 8:29 pm 
Kim Do you recognize the scars on tree D. Best.

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Kim Brown
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PostWed Jul 26, 2017 9:20 pm 
I don't know what critter. Porcupine or bear looking for grubs or gnawing on the sweet tree innards (that's a technical term, good buddy!)

"..living on the east side of the Sierra world be ideal - except for harsher winters and the chance of apocalyptic fires burning the whole area." Bosterson, NWHiker's marketing expert
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Brian Curtis
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PostThu Jul 27, 2017 7:37 am 
Hesman wrote:
Tree e: doug fir Tree c: alaskan yellow ceder Tree d: looks like subalpine fir Tree b: western hemlock Tree a: subalpine hemlock
I have never heard of a subalpine hemlock. Do you mean mountain hemlock? I think trees a and b are both western hemlock. The needles have white stripes on the bottom and vary in length, both characteristics of western hemlock. The difference in bark is probably age.

that elitist from silverdale wanted to tell me that all carnes are bad--Studebaker Hoch
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rossb
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PostThu Jul 27, 2017 7:45 am 
I don't think A is a hemlock. The bark of a hemlock is "brown, thin and furrowed' to quote this. I think it is some sort of (true) fir.

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Kim Brown
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PostThu Jul 27, 2017 8:39 am 
The A leaves look like hemlock ( I don't know that there are mountain hemlocks at that elevation ["lower portion"] that trail), but the A trunk looks like a silver fir. Did you get the leaves from the actual tree, or the little one next to it, logically thinking it's a minion of that trunk? Might have to go investigate soon. O the sacrifices we make for science! biggrin.gif

"..living on the east side of the Sierra world be ideal - except for harsher winters and the chance of apocalyptic fires burning the whole area." Bosterson, NWHiker's marketing expert
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John Morrow
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PostThu Jul 27, 2017 8:40 am 
rossb wrote:
I don't think A is a hemlock. The bark of a hemlock is "brown, thin and furrowed' to quote this. I think it is some sort of (true) fir.
The needles of A and B are the same, mountain hemlock. (Western Hemlock would lay flat in two distinct lengths) Neither are associated with the bark of Tree A, which is a true fir, diagnosed by the bulbous pitch pockets. If all these were taken near the same locale, I'd guess it was approaching 4000 feet elev. The elev would be helpful. That is unless otherwise subalpine species on the west side creep down slope to a lower alt than over here on the east side of the crest. John

“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”-Mary Oliver “A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual doom.” ― MLK Jr.
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Kim Brown
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PostThu Jul 27, 2017 8:49 am 
OK so A is indeed a fir; noble or silver...do you know which, Mr. Morrow? And I'm full of baloney on the "there aren't mountain hemlocks at that elevation," apparently. Looks like wiith theexception of that spectacular yellow-cedar, the photos are taken in the dreary old burned portion of the trail. I think Mountain hemlocks & yellow-cedar begin at 3,000, at least west of the crest. That does not mean they can't appear at other elevations. Trunks of younger trees can be confusing, and I'm terrible at identifying pines & fir via needles.

"..living on the east side of the Sierra world be ideal - except for harsher winters and the chance of apocalyptic fires burning the whole area." Bosterson, NWHiker's marketing expert
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John Morrow
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PostThu Jul 27, 2017 9:04 am 
Kim Brown wrote:
OK so A is indeed a fir; noble or silver...do you know which, Mr. Morrow? And I'm full of baloney on the "there aren't mountain hemlocks," apparently. Trunks of younger trees can be confusing, and I'm terrible at identifying pines & fir via needles.
Trunks of younger trees can indeed be confusing! From the bark alone I cannot tell which fir the trunk of Tree A is. Especially since it is younger as you mentioned, Kim. I will say that the needles to the left are hemlock from a different tree and not associated with that particular trunk, which may be some of the confusion. Needles of Tree D indicate subalpine fir: single white stomata band on top of curling needles (should be two stoma bands on bottom but none are turned over to see.) I am talking like I know something but it could all be just a bad case of MAS (male answer syndrome).

“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”-Mary Oliver “A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual doom.” ― MLK Jr.
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treeswarper
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PostThu Jul 27, 2017 9:06 am 
If I remember correctly, Silver Fir will have needles with a whitish (silver) underside. Nobles will be kind of parted. I quit worrying about the difference because in the timber world, both are considered white woods. Yes, unless things have changed, there is a Mountain Hemlock--Tsuga mertensia or something like that. I believe the cones are larger than those from the Western Hemlock, but I'm scrounging in the ancient dendrology class memory for this. Had to look up the scientific name.

What's especially fun about sock puppets is that you can make each one unique and individual, so that they each have special characters. And they don't have to be human––animals and aliens are great possibilities
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Kim Brown
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PostThu Jul 27, 2017 9:08 am 
John Morrow wrote:
I will say that the needles to the left are hemlock from a different tree and not associated with that particular trunk, which may be some of the confusion.
Yah, that's what I had thought as well. The tree next to the trunk isn't the same. The trunk tree needles are so far up it may be difficult to know what they look like. Silver fir I can often id from far below because the canopy is so lacy and mathematical. Different for the others, which canopies can be chaotic messes. I can spot a chaotic mess a mile away. I don't know that noble fir are that far north??? So it must be silver fir.

"..living on the east side of the Sierra world be ideal - except for harsher winters and the chance of apocalyptic fires burning the whole area." Bosterson, NWHiker's marketing expert
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John Morrow
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PostThu Jul 27, 2017 9:10 am 
treeswarper wrote:
If I remember correctly, Silver Fir will have needles with a whitish (silver) underside.
Indeed, on each needle two white stomata bands on underside and no white on top. I see few nobles here on the east side but I believe they typically have two stomata bands on both the top side and bottom side of each needle. But I have been told that is not conclusive for diagnosis.

“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”-Mary Oliver “A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual doom.” ― MLK Jr.
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treeswarper
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treeswarper
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PostThu Jul 27, 2017 9:14 am 
Another memory coming back and it would not fit into leave no trace forestry. If you take a sliver of bark off a Subalpine fir you will see dots/tiny holes underneath. We used hatchets but a knife will do in a pinch. I do not recommend this method for areas along trails. You'll also get pitch all over your knife.

What's especially fun about sock puppets is that you can make each one unique and individual, so that they each have special characters. And they don't have to be human––animals and aliens are great possibilities
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Kim Brown
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PostThu Jul 27, 2017 9:19 am 
I edited an earlier post re: noble fir. Their extent isn't that far north, so I'm thinking silver fir. Doesn't mean it's not an anomaly. (I saw a sitka on Tonga Ridge, which is several miles beyond their extent, but not tooo too far beyond).

"..living on the east side of the Sierra world be ideal - except for harsher winters and the chance of apocalyptic fires burning the whole area." Bosterson, NWHiker's marketing expert
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