Never forget the Danger of Deadfalls

[Laurentius]

Walking under a large spreading oak in high winds, having seen the result of dropped branches further down the road re-inforces the ever present dangers, though I think the likelihood of walking under a tree at the wrong time is more remote than camping under it. I wonder if trees which are about to fall or lose branches give out audible signs such as creaking or ripping sounds in time to get clear?

 

[Toddy]

A beech dropped a limb just moments after I passed under it. There was neither creak nor groan, nor a wind either, but it came down with an almighty bang, the earth vibrated and the limb shattered sending bits of wood blasting everywhere.

Don't know about oak, but beech woods I tread charily.

M

 

[Highbinder]

So beyond looking up what are the signs of a widow maker? How can you distinguish it from a regular branch? Solely that it is 'dead' (without leaves)? I always check above me when I set my hammock and have a preference to hang off young trees, but it'd be nice to know if there are any tell tale signs a limb is about to drop.

 

[GGTBod]

The leafless branch when all others are leafy is a good sign during leafy times, i tend to take the precaution of trying not to camp under anything that would kill me if it fell regardless of whether or not it looks likely to come down, i also have a habit of looking around for previously dropped big limbs as a sign it happened before under this tree and may again, also they make great firewood

 

[sunndog]

Walking under a large spreading oak in high winds, having seen the result of dropped branches further down the road re-inforces the ever present dangers, though I think the likelihood of walking under a tree at the wrong time is more remote than camping under it. I wonder if trees which are about to fall or lose branches give out audible signs such as creaking or ripping sounds in time to get clear?

Nope, you hardly have time to register the snapping sound up high before it hits the ground. If its very windy you may not even hear it snap off

 

[Highbinder]

Nope, you hardly have time to register the snapping sound up high before it hits the ground. If its very windy you may not even hear it snap off

But it is much more unlikely in the sense of time spent in the danger zone. Walking along under a widow maker you might be at risk for a few seconds, sleeping under it, thats 6 hours plus. Plus the fact that you're much less likely to see it coming or dodge it if you're kipping.

 

[Toddy]

A statement from the police now says that the man who died was a homeless fellow originally from the Glasgow area.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-37009560

Doesn't make it any easier to think of does it ? He didn't even have a house to go back to; the tent was his his shelter.

I'm not supposed to discuss politics, but in a wee nation like ours, with so much surplus 'stuff', why is anybody homeless or hungry nowadays ?
We should be better than this.

Mary

 

[Nice65]

Walking under a large spreading oak in high winds, having seen the result of dropped branches further down the road re-inforces the ever present dangers, though I think the likelihood of walking under a tree at the wrong time is more remote than camping under it. I wonder if trees which are about to fall or lose branches give out audible signs such as creaking or ripping sounds in time to get clear?

Many summers ago I was unloading my trailer in the field where I used to have a burn up. I heard what sounded like a machine gun. As I looked down the field to the direction of the noise, it increased to massive cracking and popping, before a huge limb peeled it's way out of a gigantic Ash. Good couple of feet across, kept me in logs for a while.

I've seen Cedar after the drop, I don't think there would have been much warning. The limb landed flat with little breakage at the tips, and it separated very cleanly from the tree.

 

[GGTBod]

I spent 2 years homeless after a serious relationship broke down and i thought the same thing every night, craziest part was having to be officially homeless for 18 months before qualifying to get in a homeless shelter and then having to spend 6 months in the homeless shelter to qualify as a tenant in my city to enable me to get on the housing list, it seemed like there was more red tape to keep me homeless than help me get a home. According to our lovely govt single men aged 20 are not at risk being homeless and therefore have very low priority when it comes to housing.

 

[sunndog]

But it is much more unlikely in the sense of time spent in the danger zone.

agreed, didn't say otherwise matey

 

[bigbear]

In reply to Toddy and GGT Bod, could not agree more, there seems to be a blindness to the homeless now, yet we are such a wealthy nation, there are countless empty properties out there, and new homes cost a kings ransom, assuming you have the huge deposit, it is beyond sad. Poor chap who died, what a sad road he must have been down.
Again, there but for the grace of God......

 

[Bishop]

Sometimes there are no safe places only choices between dangerous ones.
Unofficial resident of Margam Country Park May 87 to Sept 88
Even when a spot looks good there's no guarantee of it being 100% safe.
Five days ago this tree on the other side of a river came down with the crown landing just short of the rocks for the fire pit.

 

[mightyeskimo]

Is there a thread for just pictures of widow makers to help us spot them better?

 

[Robson Valley]

Undetectable across Canada. The surfaces of the trees give very few clues regarding mechanical strength.
The conifers will break off pulling roots or snap 10' up. The big broadleaf things are like your place.

Your only hope in a sparsely treed forest is to camp beyond the lengths of the trees.
In dense conifers, right up close to a main stem.

 

[Ivanhoe]

A friend and I were out for several days one time last year. My tent is the one to the right, of course...

It was dark when we put up our tents and I found a perfect place, absolutely flat and with no
twigs or roots, but it just didn't feel right, so I had to put my tent up a few meters away.

The next day I found the reason the site didn't feel right...

The first place was right under this broken tree, which was impossible
to see in the darkness.


Always trust your instincts when out!

- - - - -

Pancakes!

A calm lake....

 

[Joe tahkahikew]

This puts a different view on what you guys see as acceptable risk. Camping under trees. Something we very rarely ever do even though we are surrounded by miles and miles of forest. All trees can be widow makers as you call it. As others have said, just because a tree does not have dead branches on it, or is totally healthily looking doesn't mean that it won't fall.

And so I was surprised when I was in the UK, that many people, especially those who love hammocks love going and setting them up between trees!! Perhaps thats why we've never used hammocks.

Next you'll be telling me its dangerous to canoe with no life vests/bouyancy jackets

 

[Toddy]

Our forests are hugely varied though. I step out the back door and there are twenty one different types of tree in less than 300metres of pathway. That's common around here, and they all react differently to ageing, wind, dry spells, etc., We do have miles of plantations, but tbh, who wants to camp there ? boring.

The poor fellow in Edinburgh, crushed in his tent by the falling tree at the Water of Leith recently, really is the exception. I have heard of hammocks dumping folks on the ground, but I don't think I've ever heard of the tree coming down to do it, iimmc ?

Not saying it doesn't happen, just that the hammockers don't seem to have a problem.

M

Out the back door……

 

[Joe tahkahikew]

Our forests are hugely varied though. I step out the back door and there are twenty one different types of tree in less than 300metres of pathway. That's common around here, and they all react differently to ageing, wind, dry spells, etc., We do have miles of plantations, but tbh, who wants to camp there ? boring.

Not saying it doesn't happen, just that the hammockers don't seem to have a problem.

M]

I'm sure you are right Toddy, but do your trees never shed branches or fall over? I thought I saw a few down just like our forests. How do you know they won't fall? It would make even more sense to us as you have so few forests, to camp in the open where you know you will always be safe.

 

[Highbinder]

I have heard of hammocks dumping folks on the ground, but I don't think I've ever heard of the tree coming down to do it, iimmc ?

Not saying it doesn't happen, just that the hammockers don't seem to have a problem.

I'm sure I saw a thread a whiles back on hammockforums of a fatality

Life is full of risks - some you deem acceptable. I'm no less going to stop sleeping in a hammock for fear of a falling tree, than stop driving for fear of getting into a crash. Just as I take the precaution of a seat belt when driving, I take the precaution of assessing the area before hanging a hammock.

 

[Toddy]

Sorry, cross posted with Highbinder.

They do shed branches, (that's why the thread really I suppose) but they are all different. Beech is a No-No! because it's a known hazard, but others, like Ash and Sycamore are generally fine (that's the UK Sycamore, not the American one, I mean)….it really depends on the area and what's growing.
Open land here is generally either farmland or moor. If you're camping on a moor expect midges, sodden wetness underfoot, and no shelter if the weather turns (pretty common really on these islands) bad.

We have a lot of tree cover still though, and certainly in Scotland forests are freely accessible. The average is 12% tree cover in the UK as a whole, and mind that covers bare uplands as well as towns, farmlands, etc., Most of us can find woodland.

Personally I don't do hammocks. I do have one and all the accoutrements but I'm become a creature of habit and admit that these days I like my tent
I also admit that I don't read hammock forums

M