ID request, possible matsutake?

[fishyBrian]

I found these mushrooms growing on the forest floor at about 3000 ft elevation in the Washington Cascades.  Going through my field guide, I came up with matsutake, but am unsure as the guide strongly emphasized ID by scent.  The mushrooms have a pronounced and distinct spicy odor, but I haven't smelled matsutake's before and it also seems on the early side for them to be fruiting. Can anyone help point me in the right direction?



Habitat:
Where does it grow? Mid-montane douglas/fir-hemlock forest.  About 3000 feet elevation in northern Cascade range mountains of Washington state. Habitat photo below

What does it grow on? soil, did not seem to be growing out of buried wood

Gills:
Gills are attached, but have notch at connection with the stem. White, becoming light tan with age.  White spore print

Stem:
Length 4", diameter 1", white with a ring, what appears to be remnants of a partial veil below the ring and on cap. Veil remnants thin, scaly and brown, firm texture, solid stem with fibers.  No evidence of a volva, but did have some dark root-like things growing out of the base.

Cap:
Diameter about 6", color white with some tan to brown scaly membranous parts on the top, texture firm, similar to the stem, cap starts out convex, becomes wavy to flat.

Bruising:
None observed. I had a cut half of a mushroom sitting on the counter for a couple days, and the cut surface was still bright white.

Other information:
Spicy scent that continued to be noticeable for several days in the mushroom that was sitting on my counter.

[vitog]

Those are very likely to be American Matsutakes.  I find them just north of the border in BC in exactly that kind of setting.  The smell is diagnostic; but, if you haven't experienced it previously, you won't know.  However, if the aroma is strong and not similar to any familiar one; it's probably a Matsutake.  The only similar mushroom that I'm familiar with doesn't have much of any aroma.  The stem, if not worm-ridden, should be almost as hard as wood.