Lodgepole pine (fig. 17) is widely distributed from Alaska to Lower
California and eastward through the Rockies to Dakota and Colorado. It
occurs sparingly in the park up to 5,000 feet above sea level. It adapts
itself easily to the different conditions of soil, moisture, and
exposure.
[Illustration: FIG. 17.--Lodgepole pine (_Pinus contorta_), 60 inches in
diameter.]
This tree varies greatly in the different regions where it is found.
About Mount Rainier it does not often exceed 20 to 40 feet in height
and is often a much smaller tree. It produces cones at the age of 5 to 7
years. The foliage is a yellowish green. At high elevations the leaves
have a peculiar whorled appearance which gives it a different aspect
from that of the other pines. The short, heavily limbed trunk bears no
resemblance to the tall and slender shaft of the lodgepole pine of the
Rocky Mountains. The root system is shallow and the tree is easily fire
killed. The wood of the variety which grows in the park is of no
commercial value.
[Illustration: FIG. 18.--The feathery foliage of mountain hemlock
(_Tsuga mertensiana_), Grand Park, Mount Rainier National Park.