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The body of these insects is small and pale. They have small eyes made up of about 70 ommatidia and have filiform antennae with 28 or 29 segments, the basal segment being larger than the others. The pronotum is slightly convex, and is longer than it is broad. The abdomen widens from the base to the fifth segment (which is wider than the head), narrowing considerably in three apical segments. The cerci have 8 segments, which become progressively longer towards the apex. In males, the supra-anal plate is roughly triangular, which also has dimensions wider than long. The subgenital plate bears two large, slightly concave, hairy styli as well. Females are 30-34 mm long, covered in a fine pubescence, and have ovipositors shorter than the hind femur. For specimens from known localities, the best method of distinguishing species is geographically, because no subspecies are sympatric. See genus Grylloblatta for general characteristics.

Within the general habitat, they can be found in damp areas such as in moss or decaying wood, and hide during the day in rock crevices. Specimens have been discovered deeper than one metre deep in rock debris, and at lower elevations in spruce-fir and cedar-hemlock forests, both in clear-cut and uncut locations. These insects require high humidity and a temperature of ~ 3.7°C to function optimally, and they prefer uniformly heated areas and high humidity. Henson (1957) calculated the whole life cycle to take approximately 7 years; nymphs reach maturity in five years, but females lay eggs only after another year.

Adults and juveniles are omnivorous. Adults feed on wingless crane flies (Chionea obtusa), as well as collembola, microcoryphia, oribatid mites, adult diptera, aphids, and staphylinids. Juveniles also consume other arthropods. These insects have also been observed eating moss and decaying vegetation. They can survive long periods of starvation. In captivity, juveniles have been kept alive up to eighteen months without food. Cannibalism has been observed in individuals kept in captivity.