Was just reading a couple replies to a post I made. The topic of Widow Makers was mentioned. Never had a close call in all my years of "tenting it" but did have the tops of a pine tree snap off, about a 20 foot section and land about 4 feet from our pop up camper. Got me wondering if anyone here had any close calls with falling/dead trees while hanging?
“Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming "Wow! What a Ride!”
― Hunter S. Thompson
I think fronkey had a birch tree fall on him while he was walking. Imagine the odds, moving target and all.
--If a cow laughs hard, does milk come out its nose?
So far lucky but still working on my widowmaker identifying abilities!
The key to immortality is first living a life worth remembering. - St. Augustine
Some people feel the rain. Others just get wet.
- Bob Marley
There is so much on this that there is an HBO series called the "Falling Dead". Ha Ha!Originally Posted by Meat Hunter
There have been at least 2 very close calls reported here, one where a tree fell on the empty hammock of kwpapke I think way back. And one more recent with an occupied hammock? Very close call on that one. This is a very significant hazard!
I was laying in my hammock last week at Groundhog Creek Shelter (the next shelter after Davenport Gap if you're heading north on the AT) when a big limb fell about 20' from me. I'll admit that I didn't look up at all when I picked my site. It was raining and had been for about 2 hours. I looked for wind/rain direction but didn't properly scout up.
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I mentioned it once before, but I had a very, very close call a couple of years ago. I had pitched my tent after dark next to a little stream: it was a nice enough spot from what I could tell. I was in my Hennessy testing it out, making sure that everything was hunky-dory before I headed over to meet the rest of my group for a very late dinner. I felt myself slowly lower to the ground and heard noise that was growing louder and louder until... CRASH. The tree I had anchored my foot-end to had pulled out by the roots and was now laying six inches from my shoulder.
I lay still for a minute (it would have taken too long to get out of the Hennessy to run away regardless) and then squirmed out. I was MUCH more careful when I picked my next trees, I'll tell you that.
By the time I got to the others, they asked about the sound. They, being unenlightened ground-dwellers, thought it was pretty funny and teased me for quite a while. In fact, they still do. I put up with their ribbing because (a) I kinda deserve it, and (b) I would rather be teased that be dead.
uva uvam vivendo varia fit
I can't tell you how many times I have setup only to discover a widow maker that I missed upon my first check. I always move. I seem to pay way more attention now than when I was a tenter.
Exercise, eat right, die anyway -- Country Roads bumper sticker
Fall seven times, standup eight. -- Japanese Proverb
So, pulled out by the roots? How are we going to guard against that situation?
Some before and after shots one morning during my AT hike. I was in it when the tree I was attached to sudenly was lying beside me. I was trapped in the hammock for twenty minutes before I could find the zipper. There was no way I wanted to cut myself out of my new Dangerbird.
Miguel/ Cat in the Hat
That's a helluva advertisement for dutch clips... The tree will break before we bend...
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