Environmental Description:  It occurs from mid-elevations, ranging between 1000-1500 m (possibly up to 2000 m), and may occur lower in montane environments, such as slope benches or canyon bottoms, which are prone to cold-air drainage. It is found primarily west of the Cascade Crest where maritime influence and deep winter snowpacks are typical. Precipitation ranges from 150-400 cm annually, falling largely as snow, and the snowpack usually lingers into June or later. These forests often attain great age due to low fire frequency in the moist locations where they occur, but tree stature is strongly affected by local environmental conditions, especially elevation. Substrates are moderately deep soils derived from colluvium, glacial outwash and volcanic ash, which overlie gneiss or schist. Soils are acidic, coarse-textured and often subirrigated, with a substantial organic component, owing to persistently high moisture and low temperatures. Sites are cold and moist, and found on mid to lower slopes, benches and bottoms with typically western and northern aspects.