Day 51: As recently proved by a storm which took down 65 trees one to three feet in diameter in a small section of Longmire Campground, the forest can be a dangerous place to work. When trees are analyzed and determined to be hazardous to structures, people or roads, Mount Rainier National Park has a dedicated "hazard tree" team which removes them. Determining the degree of hazard posed by any individual tree may be as simple as visual observation; in other cases, it requires boring into its core.
It's easy to see why this middle-aged Doug fir was classed as a hazard tree. Its heartwood was entirely rotted away leaving nothing but a husk of deteriorating wood and bark. It and an adjacent tree were earmarked for removal, but only one was taken down before the big windstorm hit the campground three weeks ago. Oddly, its partner in infamy remained standing, a "killer tree" waiting for its moment.
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