Dead Trees (Pics)

[bearthedog]

For some reason I am always finding beauty in the contrast in nature between green lush forests, snow covered peaks and Dead Trees!
Last few years I started taking pictures of dead trees in the forests, deserts and the jungle. There is something about a dry dead tree in the middle of a green painted forest or peaking out of a river. Like the kid in the 6th sense....I see dead trees!

Grand Canyon, Arizona-Little tree basking in the sun.

Big Bear, California

Storm clouds in Big Bear

Mt. Whitney, California High Sierras-Highest Mountain in lower 48.

San Gorgonio, California-Highest Mountain in Southern California

 

[bearthedog]

Mojave Desert, Nevada

San Gabriel Mountains, California

Big Bear, California

San Gabriel Mountains, California

Dead background

Tales from the Darkside anyone?

Lytle Creek, California

 

[bearthedog]

Lytle Creek, California

Holy Jim, California

Amazon River, Peru

 

[zenheretic]

Great thread, I take pictures of them too. I have to post some when I get a chance.

We called dead trees "snags" back home.

 

[bearthedog]

Why snags?

 

[zenheretic]

Why snags?

I don't know, it is one of those words you would think everyone uses until you find out they don't. Home was Montana.


Likely came from dead trees in the water...snag your boat. Paddle boats would have to worry about such in the Missouri and Mississippi rivers. The Missouri river starts in Montana...
http://www.morewords.com/word/snag/

 

[zenheretic]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snag

 

[idaho]

mmmm, lots of firewood

nice photos - they persuaded me that it's time to leave computer seat and go to forest for at least a few hours.

 

[pict]

Great shots.

In my area we have burn-offs every few years. There is one tree in particular, the Candeia, that does not burn when green, but the fires do kill them. They resist rotting due to the high concentration of oils in the wood. Once they are seasoned they make superb standing deadfall. The wood burns super bright and hot, but leaves no coals. It is my number one fire starting resource. Spotting dead Candeia trees from a distance is something I have people pay close attention to. The wood also has a distinct wet-dog smell so I always cut off a chip and have everyone take a good whiff. Mac

 

[bearthedog]

Thanks for sharing. Got any pictures of Candeia?

 

[pict]

Here's a shot of live Candeia among a few dead ones. It grows in middle elevation scrub forests up to about 4,500 feet. In the lower level forests it can't be found unless you climb to the tops of the hills.

Here's a close-up of the dead wood. It is very hard and has a very twisty, gnarly grain. It can be very hard to split. I have trapped a machete blade in it by trying to baton it open, so you have to choose as straight a piece as you can if you want to split it.

The bark is very shaggy looking and often a dead Candeia will retain its bark. You have to be REAL careful when pulling down dead limbs as often there will be hundreds of black ants chewing away at the dead inner bark.

Mac

 

[mckgreg]

I am haunted by them as well. Here's one that being dead seems to have given it life.
Greg

 

[J.S. Carter]

Awesome pics guys, wouldnt mind having some of them as my desktop wallpaper.

Jason

out the barrell, through the bushes, off the rocks, nuthin but varmint splatter.

 

[sicily02]

Those pics are great.
Bryan

 

[kgd]

love that last one mcgreg!

We used to use the word snags up here in Ontario too! Basically we referred to the fact that the dried branches were more stiff and brittle than larger ones and hence they's snatch your hat off when walking through trails and such.

Sometimes those dead trees can be pretty spooky. I always think of the evil trees in the Fellowship of the Rings, the one outside of the shire, where the hobbits are saved by Tom Bombadil (the part the movie skips).

 

[mymindisamob]

I'm glad I saw this. I am taking my wife to Lopez Island (San Juan Islands) next weekend for our anniversary and when I was working up there I fell in love with the dead and windblown trees. I'll try to get some pics.
According to the loggers I've known, a "snag" is called that because when weakened trees or ill planned drops hit them, they tend to snag on those trees.

 

[bearthedog]

Cool other dead tree lovers.
pict the middle shot you posted looks like a pain to split with anything. Good stuff.

mcgreg that is what I like a nice color and mood contrast.

 

[boness]

Thanks for the pictures !

 

[jaislandboy]

great pix thanks

 

[lambertiana]

Of the many pictures of dead trees that I have, this is one of my favorites, on the PCT just north of Chicken Spring Lake, Sequoia NP: