ALASKA CEDAR.
(Chamaecyparis nootkatensis)

Like the western red cedar the common name of this tree is misleading, for it is not properly a cedar. Also like the western red cedar, the foliage of this species is scale-like but it will very rarely be confused with the former tree due to the fact that (1) the altitudinal range of the two species is different - the Alaska cedar being a tree of higher elevations in the park, (2) the cones of the Alaska cedar are round rather than oblong, (3) its bark is ash-grey and flaky in long thin strips rather than fibrous and brown and, (4) the branches of the Alaska cedar have a decided "wilted" appearance. Insofar as its altitudinal range is concerned this species, while it will be found from 2700 to 5500 feet in elevation, is most common in the intermediate timber zone, from 3500 to 5000 feet where it is one of the principal trees.

As to size, mature specimens are generally from 75-125 feet tall and 2-3 feet in diameter. When noted in the sub-alpine zone however it is, of course, much smaller. The trunk is conical in outline and swelled at the base with thin, ash-grey flaky bark. The foliagee is scale-like but rather harsh to the touch and a dark yellow green in color. The cones are round, woody and from 1/4-1/2 inch in diameter. The wood is very durable, fine grained and a beautiful cream to sulphur yellow in color. As it takes an excellent polish the wood of this tree, obtained from the "Silver Forest" - an area that was destroyed by fire in 1885 (see page 140), has been widely used in interior finish work in some of the more prominent buildings of the park, such as the Administration Building at Longmire and, at Paradise Valley, the Community House and Paradise Inn. The durability of the wood of this tree is attested too by the fact that the dead snags of Alaska cedar in the "Silver Forest" were still sound when this material was cut for use in construction of these buildings. No age records are available but the tree is a slow growing species and no doubt reaches an age of from 200 to 300 years in the park.

The range is rather limited. It occurs along the Pacific Coast from southeastern Alaska, where it is found in abundance and which accounts for the common name, south through Washington to northern Oregon.

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Descriptions continued...