When a tree falls in the forrest...

Sharp Eye

Sharp Eye

Joined
Feb 21, 2008
Messages
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Today I was out for a woodland jaunt at the local state park. It was a quite walk on a warm day until suddenly a large dead tree fell onto the trail. It was not even 10 feet in front of me!! I could not help but think that this beautiful scene might have been very ugly if I had set out on my walk about 30 seconds earlier.
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I estimated its length by size of my stride to be 55 to 60 ft long
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On the walk I also came across this fellow
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and a cool stream sit beside
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I apologize for missing the obligatory knife porn. I was out testing my BRK&T Rogue. It is awesome and I owe you guys some picts.
Ira
 
Cool pics Sharp Eye. The color on the Damselfly is outstanding. :thumbup:
 
Is a falling tree supposed to be an evil omen? Or good luck?

Of all my years working in the forests I've only seen three trees fall. Two were rather small. But the third was a giant dead aspen being twisted in the wind, until it exploded and toppled only feet away (I was recording historic markings on old aspen trees for an archaeological project).

Wonder if there are statistics as to people being killed by naturally falling trees? Probably similar to the number of people killed by coyotes (1) or the number of people killed by meteorites (0)...

I enjoyed the other photos too.
 
Sharp Eye said:
I estimated its length by size of my stride to be 55 to 60 ft long.
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Yeah, but how tall was it?? :D
Liam Ryan said:
If it misses you I would call it good luck.
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Ain't this the truth? Obviously, there's very lethal danger being that close to a falling tree. I'd say you were quite lucky, and I'm glad you or anyone else there didn't get hurt! And best of all, you were able to take some great photos! Nice work.
 
Yeah this kind of thing happens. But hey, don't take it personally :)


Nice pics!
 
1) Nice pics of the waterfall.
2) WOW - Fate had shined on you that day.
3) I think you are in a position to help us philosophers - did it make sound?

I know that does not fit the riddle exactly - but you were not expecting it to fall - so it will give us a good hint as to whether they make sound. ;)

TF
 
Watchful said:
Yeah, but how tall was it?? :D

Ain't this the truth? Obviously, there's very lethal danger being that close to a falling tree. I'd say you were quite lucky, and I'm glad you or anyone else there didn't get hurt! And best of all, you were able to take some great photos! Nice work.
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I believe that if it is laying on the gound, by the picture..it was about 18" tall, and 60 feet long:D
 
Nice Pics, You were pretty Lucky. I was in the woods once after a bad snow storm. and there were a ton of falling branches but I have never seen a tree fall.

Every Trip afield is an experience, and a story to share.
 
Scary! I almost lost a buddy to a falling dead tree. We were golfing, all of a sudden I hear a very loud crack, I look over to see my buddy running towards me as a tree follows close behind. He literally barely made it out, and when we went back the biggest part of the tree was laying right next to his ball were he was standing...
 
last winter here in Oklahoma we had a crazt ice storm that caused me to have a few similar expiriences. nice pictures too
 
I've worked in a forested park for the past four summers, and although I've never seen a tree fall, have several times driven down a stretch of road once, then again just a couple minutes later and there was a huge tree there.

Have also seen many branches fall while helping my friend try to find a deer he shot the previous evening at 5:00 AM in an ice storm.
 
stingray4540 said:
Scary! I almost lost a buddy to a falling dead tree. We were golfing, all of a sudden I hear a very loud crack, I look over to see my buddy running towards me as a tree follows close behind. He literally barely made it out, and when we went back the biggest part of the tree was laying right next to his ball were he was standing...
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When being chased by a falling tree, wouldn't you want to run perpendicular to where it is falling?
 
Rat Finkenstein said:
When being chased by a falling tree, wouldn't you want to run perpendicular to where it is falling?
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Only if you're 100% sure which way it's falling.

A free-falling tree can twist and turn as it falls, either rotating on its cracked stump or hitting other branches on the way down. On impact, the tree can fling out heavy, broken branches as well that can be highly injurious.

When you look up, all you see are leaves and branches twisting around you: it's not always easy to tell.

A better solution, if you can make out the direction, is to run 180 degrees away from the direction it's falling (watching out for kick back, in which the stump of the tree can jerk violently toward the direction opposite its fall).

If you're not conveniently located behind the tree at that time, and can make out the general direction of fall, yes: run perpendicularly to the fall, and try to get behind another solid tree that can offer a little shelter.
 
To add to Watchful's response, usually branches grow perpendicular to the tree, so no matter which way you run, you are still in danger of getting injured. Consequently, he did run away sumwhat perpendicular.

I just turned around and saw him running like a bat out of hell, and a lot of leafs and branches following him close behind. Aside from the danger, it was quite hilarious.
 
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