Gaultheria humifusa is a berry with close resemblance to berries in the Vaccinium/Blueberry genus. So close, in fact, that some botanists have included it in that genus, and Vaccinium humifusa is a recognized synonym for it. It has a relatively uncontroversial common name of either "Alpine Wintergreen" or "Alpine Spicywintergreen".

Unlike the shrubby plants of Vaccinium, this plant hugs the ground, forming a sparse mat of leaves and red berries. It seems to prefer spots where the soil is too thin for most other plants. It still has woody stems, but they are mostly under the surface, with just few leaves and a berry or two where the stem emerges. The berries are red, fading to white on the underside when less ripe. They are wider around than they are long, and about 5-7 mm in diameter.

Look for them in the mountains at high altitudes, around the bases of rocks or on rocky slope where the soil is thin. They grow in patches where the small leathery leaves high the ground, with red berries showing here and there. When you get down on your hands and knees and search around in the patch, the will be many more berries hidden behind the leaves. These plants tend to be good producers, and it is fun and rewarding to spend a bit of time down in the leaves picking these very tasty berries.

The taste is sweet with a bit of tartness, but these are firmer and less juicy than Vaccinium berries. Even though they are a wintergreen, they do not seem to have a strong wintergreen flavor, although there may be a slight suggestion of that in the tartness. Most people who try them say they are one of their favorite tasting berries.

Some sources suggest eating the leaves, but when I tried them they were very tough, and did not have a very good flavor.