A fir-spruce-birch forest at about 3600' on Mt. Bond

Looking uphill at about 3600-3700 feet into a stand of balsam fir (Abies balsamea) and red (Picea rubens) and black spruce (Picea mariana) with some fairly large, old, white birch (Betula papyrifera). This is typical of the forest one finds on the eastern slopes of these mountains at this altitude. Just below 4000' the forest opened up a bit on the line I was following from the summit ridge of Mt. Bond and passage became a little easier. I could 'lope' rather than pick my way down. The soil here is deeper, there's more duff, but there is not much herbaceous vegetation on the forest floor. Just bunch berry (Cornus canadensis) and a few asters (Aster radula) where there is sufficient sunlight passing threw the over story.