57 From Longmire to Lewis via Skate Creek Trail. Sept. 29, 1930 G.M.W. and B.H.T. This trip was made primarily to look over the deer wintering grounds around Bear Prairie some 4 to 6 miles south of the park. The prairie is an old burn. It is covered with young Pseudosuga, Thuya, Abies Amabilis, Abies/ Nojilis, Abies Grandis, Willow Maple, Crackelberries, Salal, & much other underbrush & moss. The deer live largely on these underbrush plants in the winter & on moss & willow buds. No young conifers were browsed. Nothing, in fact, showed signs of browsing. We saw no deer. But we saw deer tracks in 5 different places. This region is in the Rainier Nat'l. Forest. Not much hunting is done here because the deer high up are too inaccessible - One of the "old timers" at Lewis said that there were plenty of breeks upon Skate Mountain. The mountain top is largely chaparral.