Identification: Is this thing anything?

Hi! A couple of these (see attached) are growing in our play area. I don't see it in the admittedly limited books I have. Might someone here be able to identify this for me?
Thank you very much for your help,
JW

 

I have posted two additional pictures since I have not seen any responses yet.
This is growing under Douglas Firs, if that helps at all.
Thanks again!

 

Might be some kind of Polyporus. Could be growing on an old buried stump or root.

 

Schweinitzii butt rot (Phaeolus schweinitzii), a polypore that is a parasite of tall conifers, especially. As its name tells, it is harmful from the view of a tree.
More information: http://www.pfc.forestry.ca/diseases/CTD/Group/Root/root6_e.html

Cheers, Harri Harmaja
http://www.fmnh.helsinki.fi/users/harmaja/about_myself.htm

 

Thanks Harri, I was wondering about this myself. I saw a few of these a couple weekends ago along the Skagit River Trail.

 

Very interesting! I will mention this to our tree guy. We have seven 100ft+ Douglas Firs in our yard and I would like to keep them upright and not on our neighbor's deck or roof! Thank you!