Gorge 400, Site #1, 12/31 & 1/31 (trailwork final)
Posted: January 1st, 2013, 2:23 pm
EP was kind enough to include a photo of a pair of blowdowns that he and his wife encountered on their recent hike from Wahclella Falls parking lot to Wauna Viewpoint [1]. With a few hours free this afternoon, I packed up my tools again and went to have a look.
1) EP's photo from 12/30
2) A and B obstruct the trail, which can bee seen in the lower right corner. A lays on top of B which lays at right angles across humongous C at about X. C itself fell downhill diagonally a few years ago. C's bark is still intact though the impact of B has crushed and separated it near the contact point. Since C is sloped downhill, it is likely that AB would have slid downhill along C after impact were they not stopped by upright tree D, which is living but in a decayingly unhealthy point in its life. From the scraped and gouged side of D, it appears that as AB fell, one or both struck the side of D. D is missing bark starting about 4 feet above where AB currently contact it. Anyway, D now keeps AB from sliding down along C. E and various saplings 's' are not engaged.
3) The crowns of AB extend to out of the frame to the left. They do not touch the ground, meaning their entire weight is cantilevered beginning at X. It is the weight of A and B's lower trunks and (possible) remnant tethering of their rootballs that keep the crown ends suspended (10-20 feet) above the slope. Indeed, when I shimmied out along them clearing branches to disengage the two and so I could better assess the lay, they eventually started bouncing, at which point I did not soil my pants as I should have, but retreated nonetheless. What all this means is that there is a huge amount of energy stored in the trunks at fulcrum C. Neither A nor B contact F, meaning that D alone feebly prevents A and B from sliding downhill along C. If/when D topples, E and F will likely stop A and B from sliding too far. But maybe not, and that is the true catch.
4) Dangling branches 1, 2, and 3, perhaps from A and B can be seen high up in D and E, along with others. While D and E are not immediately trailside, if either D or E are disturbed, the dangling branches could easily be flung anywhere within a radius that includes the treadway and potential work areas.
5) root ends of A and B. Old stump O.
6) A and B upon arrival. The gap between A and B is about 16 inches.
7) Branches along A and B obscure sighting up their lengths.
8) Crown ends, branches trimmed; A does not contact F.
9) View from the trail. Note the straight lay of A.
10) Detail of A and B resting against D
11) start of first cut on A
12) 1st cut finished, root end did not drop through.
13) 2nd cut nearly finished, snow, with camera flash
14) Root end drops, crown end remains balanced (on B at D)
15) 18 incher.
1) EP's photo from 12/30
2) A and B obstruct the trail, which can bee seen in the lower right corner. A lays on top of B which lays at right angles across humongous C at about X. C itself fell downhill diagonally a few years ago. C's bark is still intact though the impact of B has crushed and separated it near the contact point. Since C is sloped downhill, it is likely that AB would have slid downhill along C after impact were they not stopped by upright tree D, which is living but in a decayingly unhealthy point in its life. From the scraped and gouged side of D, it appears that as AB fell, one or both struck the side of D. D is missing bark starting about 4 feet above where AB currently contact it. Anyway, D now keeps AB from sliding down along C. E and various saplings 's' are not engaged.
3) The crowns of AB extend to out of the frame to the left. They do not touch the ground, meaning their entire weight is cantilevered beginning at X. It is the weight of A and B's lower trunks and (possible) remnant tethering of their rootballs that keep the crown ends suspended (10-20 feet) above the slope. Indeed, when I shimmied out along them clearing branches to disengage the two and so I could better assess the lay, they eventually started bouncing, at which point I did not soil my pants as I should have, but retreated nonetheless. What all this means is that there is a huge amount of energy stored in the trunks at fulcrum C. Neither A nor B contact F, meaning that D alone feebly prevents A and B from sliding downhill along C. If/when D topples, E and F will likely stop A and B from sliding too far. But maybe not, and that is the true catch.
4) Dangling branches 1, 2, and 3, perhaps from A and B can be seen high up in D and E, along with others. While D and E are not immediately trailside, if either D or E are disturbed, the dangling branches could easily be flung anywhere within a radius that includes the treadway and potential work areas.
5) root ends of A and B. Old stump O.
6) A and B upon arrival. The gap between A and B is about 16 inches.
7) Branches along A and B obscure sighting up their lengths.
8) Crown ends, branches trimmed; A does not contact F.
9) View from the trail. Note the straight lay of A.
10) Detail of A and B resting against D
11) start of first cut on A
12) 1st cut finished, root end did not drop through.
13) 2nd cut nearly finished, snow, with camera flash
14) Root end drops, crown end remains balanced (on B at D)
15) 18 incher.