The conifer that breaks the rules. The western larch — tamarack to old-timers — is an evergreen that goes deciduous every fall, dropping its needles after turning them a brilliant gold. It's the largest of the larches, and in late September and October it sets the Selkirk high country ablaze with color.
Why does it drop its needles? Before shedding, the tree pulls nutrients back into storage — an adaptation that reduces snow damage to branches and protects against insects and fire. Come spring it flushes chartreuse-green new growth, the sign of late spring in the high country.
Where to see it: the Selkirk Crest, the high basins around Roman Nose Lakes, and the ridgelines above the lake. Peak color typically lands in the first half of October — go early in the month and check recent trail reports, because one windstorm can strip the gold overnight.
October hiking notes: this is bear country — black bears and grizzlies both roam the Selkirks — so carry bear spray, make noise on the trail, and store food properly. Check road conditions before heading to high trailheads, and bring layers; October in the Selkirks can swing from warm afternoons to snow in a single day.
See it while it lasts. The larches hold their gold for a few short weeks, then the mountain settles into the long quiet before winter.
Two larch species grow in the region: the tall western larch of the lower slopes and the subalpine larch of the high country, found in cold, snowy basins from about 5,800 to 7,500 feet. Both follow the same script — greenish gold in late September, orange by early October, then bare — but the subalpine larch keeps its show going a little later at altitude. In Washington they call the October pilgrimage "larch madness"; the Selkirks deserve the same devotion.