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Montana news about the environment, natural resources, wildlife, climate change and more.

Amid the golden hues of autumn in western Montana, one tree stands above the rest

Ellis Juhlin and her dog Finley in front of Gus, a 163-foot-tall western larch near Seeley Lake, MT.
Ellis Juhlin
Ellis Juhlin and her dog Finley in front of Gus, a 163-foot-tall western larch near Seeley Lake, MT.

It’s a sunny October day and we’re here to visit Gus — reportedly the tallest larch tree in the world. Sunlight filters through the changing larch trees, while already-fallen needles cover the path like a forested yellow brick road. I walk with my friend Holli Holmes.

“This is like the part that I really love, is just feeling like we're walking on the golden pathway,” said Holmes

My orange and white dog nearly blends into the colorful scene. It’s quiet except for the noise of his panting, punctuated by the squawks of ravens overhead.

 Dogs xxx and Dodger in front of Gus, a 163-foot-tall western larch near Seeley Lake, MT.
Ellis Juhlin
Dogs Dodger and Finley in front of Gus, a 163-foot-tall western larch near Seeley Lake, MT.

At 163 feet tall, Gus is two feet taller than the Statue of Liberty.

I read a plaque at the bottom of the tree.

“If you look closely at this largest of all western larches, you'll see the scars of its long life. At the base of the tree are telltale signs of fire. This giant survived at least 40 fires that burned through Girard Grove about every 24 years,” it said.

A small opening in the trunk reveals scratches, and burn scars from Gus’s 1,000 year history.

Now, just a few hundred yards from the road that winds around Seeley Lake, it’s hard to imagine how much this landscape has changed over the life of this tree. Gus, and his neighbors will continue to drop their needle-leaves for the next few weeks before the golden ground turns white with snow.

Golden larch trees near Seeley Lake, MT.
Ellis Juhlin
Golden larch trees near Seeley Lake, MT.
Ellis Juhlin and her dog Finley.
Ellis Juhlin and her dog Finley.

Ellis Juhlin is MTPR's Environmental Reporter. She covers wildlife, natural resources, climate change and agriculture stories. She worked at Utah Public Radio and Yellowstone Public Radio prior to joining MTPR, and in wildlife conservation before becoming a journalist. She has a Master's Degree in Ecology from Utah State University and is an average birder who wants you to keep your cat indoors. Her life is run by her two dogs, one of which is afraid of birds.

ellis.juhlin@mso.umt.edu
406-272-2568
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