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Saturday, November 2, 2013

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PHOTOS: U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree Cutting

Posted By on Sat, Nov 2, 2013 at 10:05 AM

On Friday, Nov. 1, the U.S. Forest service cut an 88-foot Engelmann Spruce from the Colville National Forest, near Usk, Wash., to serve as this year's U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree. A few hundred people attended to see the beginning of a journey the tree, which is the first from Eastern Washington, will take through 11 states before being lit in Washington D.C. on Dec. 4. 

click to enlarge PHOTOS: U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree Cutting
Young Kwak
The U.S. Forest Service's Jim Beckwith sets up crane rigging.

click to enlarge PHOTOS: U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree Cutting
Young Kwak
U.S. Forest Service employees Alex Jess, center, and Michael Rude hand Jim Beckwith a saw.

click to enlarge PHOTOS: U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree Cutting
Young Kwak
Smokey the Bear, left, hangs out with (left to right) U.S. Forest Service employee Gayne Sears, Chelsea Earls, her 8-year-old daughter Olivia and 5-year-old son Oliver.

click to enlarge PHOTOS: U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree Cutting
Young Kwak
Four-year-old Maggie McClure, left, and her brother Connor, 7, eat cookies and drink hot chocolate, as their mother Erin watches.

click to enlarge PHOTOS: U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree Cutting
Young Kwak
Goff Daily holds his 9-month-old son Sean.

click to enlarge PHOTOS: U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree Cutting
Young Kwak
Margaret Schmidt, right, shows her husband Dennis a photo.

click to enlarge PHOTOS: U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree Cutting
Young Kwak
Kalispel Tribe Cultural Program Assistant Director J.R. Bluff keeps a drum warm.

click to enlarge PHOTOS: U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree Cutting
Young Kwak
Brian Montgomery pours hot water for hot chocolate.

click to enlarge PHOTOS: U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree Cutting
Young Kwak
Sonia Wirth, left, holding her 20-month-old daughter Sadie, and Stephanie Wirth wait for the tree to be cut.

click to enlarge PHOTOS: U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree Cutting
Young Kwak
Nine-year-old Ian Hicks throws a log on a fire.

click to enlarge PHOTOS: U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree Cutting
Young Kwak
U.S. Forest Service employee Ben Curtis, center, reviews some procedures before the tree is cut.

click to enlarge PHOTOS: U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree Cutting
Young Kwak
Riley Sampson, 6, hugs Woodsy Owl.

click to enlarge PHOTOS: U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree Cutting
Young Kwak
Kalispel Tribe Cultural Program Director Francis Cullooyah speaks before the tree destined to be the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree.

click to enlarge PHOTOS: U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree Cutting
Young Kwak
Members of the Kalispel Tribe perform a flag song and an honor song.

click to enlarge PHOTOS: U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree Cutting
Young Kwak
U.S. Forest Service employee John Wirth cuts the 88-foot Engelmann Spruce.

click to enlarge PHOTOS: U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree Cutting
Young Kwak
Members of the media and the general public watch an 88-foot Engelmann Spruce, destined to be the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree, as it's cut.

click to enlarge PHOTOS: U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree Cutting
Young Kwak
Debbie Lutz, left, and her husband Bob photograph and film during the cutting of an 88-foot Engelmann Spruce, destined to be the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree.

click to enlarge PHOTOS: U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree Cutting
Young Kwak
The tree is lifted by a crane.

click to enlarge PHOTOS: U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree Cutting
Young Kwak
The 88-foot Engelmann Spruce is lifted by a crane.

click to enlarge PHOTOS: U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree Cutting
Young Kwak
U.S. Forest Service employee John Wirth cuts the bottom off the tree.

click to enlarge PHOTOS: U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree Cutting
Young Kwak
U.S. Forest Service employee Cally Davidson, left, and Pend Oreille County Public Works employee Bernie Nelson place a bag on the base of the tree.

click to enlarge PHOTOS: U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree Cutting
Young Kwak
Workers guide the tree onto a truck.

click to enlarge PHOTOS: U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree Cutting
Young Kwak
Workers guide the 88-foot Engelmann Spruce onto a truck.

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Young Kwak

Young Kwak is a staff photographer at the Inlander. Moving to Spokane in 2007 from Los Angeles, Young started contributing as a photographer for the Inlander in 2008.

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