General view, alpine meadow

Alpine Meadow view of western Montana area, featuring the golden needles of Larch, or Tamarack, trees.

Introduction

Every Autumn, parts of Western Montana’s hillsides turn golden. This yearly transformation is attributed to certain trees' preparation for winter. The artists who paint this landscape: the larch trees, which are commonly called tamarack. 

In Montana, the two native species are Larix occidentalis (western larch) and Larix lyallii (alpine larch). These stands of larches, or tamaracks, attract the attention of onlookers amongst the Lodgepole Pine, Douglas Fir, Spruce, and Ponderosa Pine (Montana’s State Tree) that also inhabit the Rocky Mountain areas.  

Anyone can drive along mountain roads in Montana to view this color change from afar; as well as visit local trails to observe this fall time transition up close. Special interest in one area, however, is because of a local giant named Gus.  

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Gus Fall

Gus, a Western Larch, stands out amongst a grove of tamarack trees due to his stature. In the photo, taken on October 20th, 2025, Gus' needles are greenish yellow, indicating peak color change will happen in the near future. Young growth larch trees are seen surrounding Gus in the grove, currently hitting peak color change.

Larix occidentalis 

Gus is known as the largest Western Larch tree (Larix occidentalis) in the world. Residing just west of Seeley Lake, off route 83 (part of the Montana Scenic Loop), Gus stands near the Clearwater River off Boy Scout Road near Camp Paxson. Although this record-breaking giant was first confirmed with the National Tree Registry in 2020, Gus has remained standing for over 1,000 years, surpassing other old-growth larch trees in the area, whose typical lifespan is 600 years. (1)  

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Camp Paxson Boy Scout Camp 

Ariel photograph of Seeley Lake, showing the location of Camp Paxson (red pin).

This summer camp was constructed by the Western Montana Council of Boy Scouts in the late 1930’s and was named after Montana artist, Edgar S. Paxson. (2: page 179)

Also see Seeley Lake: Seeley Lake | Montana History Portal

The unique biology of the Western Larch allows these conifer trees to exceed the height of other species in the area, who also prefer moist environments, typically in valleys with cool slopes to lower subalpine areas. (3)

Larches differ from their conifer relatives, however, in that their needles turn golden and drop, like the leaves of deciduous trees. This color change, from green to yellow, is the result of nutrient storage to help protect the tree during winter. Drawing nutrients, like nitrogen, back to the branches gives the larch an advantage for survival. (4)  

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Larch in fall color

Autumnal landscape of larches in Lochsa Powell Ranger District, taken in 1950.

Fall colors at Lake Alva

View of larch trees surrounding Lake Alva, located just south of Seeley Lake, taken in 1968.

Tamaracks Lodge, Seeley Lake

Image of tamarack trees, taken between 1939-1941, next to the Tamarack Lodge along Seeley Lake.

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Because of these biological traits, large larches can grow to 60 meters, or 196 feet. (3) 

Gus stands at 154 feet tall (without including the ten-foot dead top), measures 267 inches in circumference, and has a crown (top) spread of 34 feet. (5)

A point system is used to determine the largest tree using all three of these measurements (height, circumference, and crown spread) to determine individual tree scores. (6)  

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Tree Score Calculation

Note: use Gus' measurements from above in the equation to the right.

(Answer is located in photo caption below)

For perspective on Gus’ size, he is only one foot shorter than the Montana State Capitol Building.  

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Day of Dedication of Montana State Capitol building

This photo of the Montana State Capitol Building, located in Helena, Montana, was taken in 1902.

The capitol building towers at 165 feet, just one foot taller than Gus. 

Creation of the Tamarack Grove  

Gus has thrived in his environment on the outskirts of Seeley Lake, despite being in an area that was heavily logged in the 20th century. His preservation to this day can more recently be attributed to a dedicated Forest Service Worker, Jim Girard, known as “The Man Who Knew Trees.” Known for his timber measuring techniques as a timber faller and timber cruiser, his tree measuring point system is still used today. A timber cruiser takes measurements of tree stands to determine the amount of wood in each area, or plot, to calculate the amount of timber a forest area contains for fallers to cut, or log. (7)

Jim started his career with the U.S. Forest Service in 1908, becoming a legend due to his innovative system of measuring, but even more so because of his advocacy for sustained-yield forest management. During his career Girard had a particular interest in tamarack, or larch trees, and after retiring he joined the forestry consulting group Mason, Bruce and Girard. (7)  

Following Girard’s passing in 1952, a small local committee was formed to memorialize his work as well as his love of these trees. A dedication ceremony took place on September 13th, 1953, to place the plaque near the 60-acre area comprised of old-growth forest. The ceremony marked the official opening of the Jim Girard Memorial Tamaracks Grove. (8)

This project was a cooperative effort between retired Forest Service personnel, the Lolo National Forest, the Intermountain Logging Conference, the Anaconda Lumber Department, and the Mason, Buce and Girard Consulting Firm. (7) 

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Jim Girard Tamaracks Plaque

This plaque, “Jim Girard Tamaracks” was made to memorialize James Walter Girard. It was placed on a stone during the dedication ceremony for the opening of the Tamarack Grove in 1953.

The plaque currently resides on the edge of the grove, near the north end of the bridge on Boy Scout Road.

Resilience of the larch 

Starting in the late 1890’s, timber fallers and cruisers picked the largest trees for their logging potential. (9) Gus, and other trees in the grove, would have been prime candidates for logging due to their size; however, they have been protected against logging since 1953 with the establishment of the Tamarack Grove. Protection against other threats, like wildfires, are particular to Gus’s natural attributes.

The Western Larch is fire resistant, as well as fire adaptive. After dropping the yellow needles, Gus and other larch trees produce new needles the following year, which ensures each needle is protected by a thick coat of wax. This history of enduring wildfires is evident in burn scars observed on Gus’s thick bark, which has also protected them from an estimated 40 wildfires. (4)  

The Western Larch is dependent on these natural fires, which produce mineral-rich soil for new seedlings to germinate. (4) This natural process had been facilitated by the Salish and Kalispel (Pend d’Oreille) Indigenous peoples for millennia before the arrival of Euro-Americans in the mid-1800’s. The Native Americans recognized the beneficial aspects of fires, which was observed from lightning lit ones in the area. (10) 

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Gus Burn Scar

Example of Gus' burn scars, seen as the triangular shapes near the base of the tree.

Burned-over lodgepole area above Seeley Lake

Photo from 1910 of burned lodgepole trees along a logging road near Seeley Lake.

Timber fallers transported logs using horse-drawn carriages and sleds on forest roads like this.

Opposing Practices 

Tribes lit low intensity fires to help remove brush vegetation in addition to aiding in the production of nutrient-rich soil. This practice aided in the growth of plants that were foraged, like huckleberries, and helped clear trails and camp areas to ensure their way of life was reliable, abundant, and sustainable. Periodic fires also helped keep competing trees at bay and allowed the biggest and healthiest trees, like Gus, to thrive. (10)

The use of the forest changed when private loggers were interested in obtaining the large wood. For some time, they were uninterested in long-term management. White settlers had a demand for timber. Wood was needed for building houses, wagons, and farm equipment. In addition, the demand for timber was used for other items like railroad ties and making tools; it was also the predominate fuel used for heating. At that time, it was common thought that American forests would never run out of wood. As excessive timber cutting continued, the dry debris left from logging increased the prevalence of wildfires where forest land had been stripped. (11)  

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Larch stand along roadside

Old growth larches along forest road in Swan Valley, photo taken in 1981. 

New western larches grow under the larger trees' canopies. 

16,130 feet of logs

Taken in 1973, a team of twelve men stand by 16,130 feet of timber that has been cut and stacked to be transported out of the forest on a hose-drawn sleigh.

Timber cruisers, like Girard, calculated the board feet, or usable wood, in a stand before they were cut by timber fallers and logged. The larger trees were more valuable to the loggers given they produced more usable wood than the smaller trees.

A conservation movement emerged most strongly in the late 19th century, after noticing the harmful effects on the environment with increasing dangers of uncontrollable wildfires. Conservationists cared about over-logging but also saw forest fires as destructive to a resource. Their concerns revolved around keeping the forests as a resource for wood, but to better manage the forests than what was done by private loggers. Among other things, their approach to doing this was to completely exclude fire from the forest. This also had long-term effects of undermining the natural ecological processes of western forests, also leading to massive wildfires. The Forest Service has shifted to a more ecological approach to forest management that now incorporates the use of fire. (11) 

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Ditching a big log at Seeley Lake Landing

Logging crew moving large log at the Seeley Lake Landing Site.

The trees still standing in the area are small compared to what has been chosen to be cut down.

Log landing on Seeley Lake

View of horse-drawn sleigh loaded with several large logs in 1909 at the Log Landing near Seeley Lake.

After the ice on the river melts, logs were typically “driven down” the Clearwater River for transport.

Wildfire Management Today

Prescribed Burn

Photo of prescribed burn facilitated by the National Forest Service in 2025. Located across the Clearwater River from the Tamarack Grove, the smoke from this small scale, controlled fire can be seen along the forest floor.

Prescribed burns, facilitated today, help reduce unwanted wildfires that can harm communities; these fires also promote the growth of trees and wildflowers, adds nutrients to the soil, and minimizes unwanted, nonnative species, in addition to other benefits. (12)

Looking Forward

Old growth forests in the United States not only benefit our environment but hold the history of practices used for logging as well as conservation efforts. Gus is not only the largest Western Larch tree in the world; he is a living statue that memorializes this rich history in Western Montana. Gus became the well-earned focus of the Tamarack Grove, but he is more than his stature, in that he is a gateway to discussion on the importance of understanding the long history of preservation in Montana. Places like the Tamarack Grove are essential to conversations regarding sustainable action and how it pertains to timber needs, conservation, and wildfires. The grove, and other areas like it, are essential to understanding our world.  

Additional Resources