Stands of western hemlock (Tsugaheterophylla (Raf.) Sarg.) and Sitka spruce (Piceasitchensis (Bong.) Carr.) on low-elevation, upland sites in coastal southeast Alaska develop as single-generation stands after stand-replacing disturbances and as multiple-generation stands after minor disturbances. Both stand types were studied. Spruce grew rapidly after major and minor windthrow events and reached the mid to upper canopy of the stand. Hemlock showed variable growth patterns and occupied both upper and lower canopy positions. Unlike forested regions containing more tree species, the species compositions and stand structures were similar among both the single- and multiple-generation stands. Hemlock and spruce occupied unique yet similar canopy and stand structural positions in both single- and multiple-generation stands because they had distinctly different regeneration and development patterns. Regardless of the frequency or intensity of the disturbance, spruce usually regenerated on mineral or mixed-soil microsites created by wind-throw events, and hemlock usually regenerated on organic substrates. Hemlock regeneration was prolific and tended to dominate sites by sheer number. Mortality rates were extremely high, but the large number of hemlock seedlings guaranteed many surviving stems. Spruce regeneration was much lower, but this species had higher survival rates and generally more rapid height growth. An important stand component was the advance hemlock regeneration that existed prior to the new stand; they formed a significant and dominant position in the future stand.