Distinctly Montana Magazine

w w w . d i s t i n c t l y m o n t a n a . c o m 13 TWO SPECIES OF LARCH—OR TAMARACKS, AS MANY LOCALS CALL THEM—INHABIT THE FORESTS OF NORTHWESTERN MONTANA: western larch (Larix occidentalis) and alpine larch (Larix lyallii). These deciduous conifers share one unique attribute: their needles turn bright gold before dropping in fall. At peak color, the contrast between their foliage and dark green coniferous forests, set against the backdrop of Montana's majestic mountains and brilliant blue skies, is absolutely breathtaking, surpassing anything that New England can offer. Tom Hinckley, professor emeritus at the University of Washington's School of Environmental and Forest Sciences, makes the fol- lowing distinction in comparing the brilliance of their fall foliage: "Western larch is spectacular; however, subalpine is out of this world." In Montana, alpine larches are most frequently encountered near timberline in the Bitterroot, Cabi- net, Anaconda, and Whitefish Mountains. Preferred habitats vary, depending on latitude, elevation, slope exposure, and microclimate patterns. In the BITTER- ROOTS, for example, alpine larches typically are found above 7,500 feet on north-facing slopes. CARLTON RIDGE, elevation 8,252 feet, forms the eastern shoul- der of Lolo Peak; it is populated by the largest stand of alpine larch in the United States, one encompass- ing roughly 250 acres. By late September, the ribbon of burnished gold formed by this ridgeline grove becomes visible from downtown Missoula, almost 20 miles away. By contrast, scattered, stunted trees on TRAPPER PEAK, located near its summit at approxi- mately 9,900 feet, mark the uppermost limit of alpine larch habitat for its entire geographical range. In the ANACONDA-PINTLER WILDERNESS, alpine larches cluster between 8,400-9,200 feet in the form of "larch parks," where well-spaced trees are interspersed with heather or other forms of ground cover. Alpine larches are long-lived and, under ideal circumstances, achieve remarkable size. Lifespans of 400-500 years are commonplace. Two trees, located in the Bitterroot and Pintler Mountains, have been determined to be 1,011 and 980 years old, respectively. Despite their slow growth rates, alpine larches can, in moist, wind-sheltered cirque basins, attain heights of 75-95 feet. The tallest alpine larch on record is a 152- foot giant in the Cabinet Range. Fall- Foliage Destinations in Northwestern Montana by DOUGLAS A. SCHMITTOU

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