That was the challenge Monday for 20 state employees with the General Administration Department.

As you can well imagine, it is no easy task because the tree has to be carried up the capitol steps and then into the Legislative Building. Along the way they have to squeeze through the columns and then through the ornate doors.

This is a special tree. It is a 30-foot noble fir harvested from near Mount St. Helens.

Weyerhaeuser grew the tree in the blast zone from the 1980 eruption.

State employee Diane Thiessens helped carry the tree and says, "Oh yes, so that's 25 years? It's what we needed here to toast the opening of the rotunda. It's the first tree since the earthquake; the renovation."

Now a volunteer work crew has to get the tree decorated for Friday evening's tree lighting ceremony.