MIMF

Definitely no vines in the area and the 4000' altitude would preclude most non-native species anyway. No bear degradation here. Bears are way to busy eating huckleberries and campers from south of the Oregon border.

David King wrote:Definitely no vines in the area and the 4000' altitude would preclude most non-native species anyway. No bear degradation here. Bears are way to busy eating huckleberries and campers from south of the Oregon border.

I'm guessing the ranger's remarks are speculation. I would look for evidence of other trees with the same or similar figuring in the area. The figuring is too even to be vines just growing up a tree, in my opinion.