Killer Tree

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.

Longmire Campground After The Storm

 Day 36: Yesterday's storm resulted in a temporary closure of the Park, and while most of us were home watching the gauges on the Nisqually, Cowlitz and Carbon Rivers, havoc was being wreaked by high winds in the forests. Longmire Stewardship Campground was hit hard, dozens of trees snapped off or toppled across the loop road. Campsites are filled with the debris of broken branches, but as far as I could tell, none of the new picnic tables was damaged.

After the annual Turkey Feed, Park personnel were out assessing the damage this afternoon. If you look closely, you will be able to spot Superintendent Randy King (in hat) and two other Park employees in this photo.

Campground cleanup is an issue we deal with every spring, but seldom is it of this magnitude. This year, the call for volunteers will be "all hands on deck!"