Day 151: It's hard to believe that only two days ago, I was enjoying afternoon temperatures of almost 60 degrees and this beautiful (if accidental) view of Mount Rainier. Yes, this shot was taken shortly before I discovered I'd hiked two miles out of my way. In my post for that day, I referred to this area as a "clearcut" which it obviously is not. Unlike the snow-covered clearcut in the distance, this particular section has been selectively thinned, one of the many sustainable-forestry practices being employed by the timber industry here in the Pacific Northwest. This site was planted with Doug fir in close spacing around thirty years ago. When the trees reached a harvestable size for pulp (8-12" diameter), they were thinned. The remaining trees will be allowed to develop until they reach proportions suitable for cutting into lumber. The close spacing of the initial planting retards development of branches on the lower trunks and thus yields "clear" material for boards. The height of these trees is approximately 60-80'.
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