arroyo seco canyon dead tree danger

[Rudy Rodriguez]

I spent a night in Gould mesa campground and this morning I heard a tree fall, a few hundred yrds away. An hour or two later a second tree falls right in front of me. It was far enough to be safe but it was tall. It seems as though the station fire killed off many of the white bark trees in arroyo seco canyon but the oaks seem unharmed after four years. Those white bark trees that died have turned brown-gray. With all the white bark canopy trees gone willows are popping up everywhere. I haven't been into arroyo seco since before the station fire.the trail is neglected and eroded and blocked by logs jams in ways that were not there before. In terms of millennia, that was alot of quick change. well if you never thought falling trees might getcha go to arroyo seco and see the spectacle for yourself.

[mattmaxon]

I believe the trees you are referring to are Alder Trees.

Specifically Alnus rhombifolia Nutt. or White Alder.

Pretty scary stuff. While working on the PCT in Rockhouse Basin along unnamed "Manter Creek" several large Pinyon pines fell, very happy to see it from a distance.

The question is "If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?"

Even a small branch falling from 50ft could crack your coconut, use caution around dead trees. Certainly don't camp near or under them

One of the things I learned from working in the forest is to look up

Thanks for sharing