Hit by tree?

[Redoleary]

This summer in the French River Prov. Park canoeing we pulled over to use the "facilities", there was no wind and about 10' from my wife a tree just randomly fell over. It was a bit worrisome because we could hear it before we could tell which one it was. Pretty weird experience.

[TheHangMan]

I work in the bush quite a bit and there have been quite a few times over the years where I have seen and/or heard trees go down. It is very common in some storms. I can still remember my dad telling me, when I was a kid, about widow makers and to be careful when in the bush during high winds.
Last year I went back to a place where I had build a bough bed and there was a deadfall right about where you would put a pillow. You would not wake up from that one. I thought that I had fell all the suspect trees before that too.

[sargevining]

I don't think the ridgeline and Amsteel tarp line would have helped with the kind of tree fall that Spaceweaseal had----the tarp and hammock were tied to the tree that fell.

Its probably a good idea---one that I will adopt with all the deadfall in SE Texas forests, but lets not think we've solved the problem by doing so.

To borrow from Thomas Jefferson:

"Eternal vigilance is the price of hammock hanging in the woods."

[GrampaMikeOC]

I once hung my hammock in a forest during a lightning storm. I was a mite concerned about a bolt striking one of the trees I hung from, but figured there were so many tall trees in the area that my chances of winning the "lightning lottery" were slim. I survived, but still wonder if that was a dumb chance to take.

We have a lot of Eucalyptus trees around here in the lower elevations. I will not hang nor even walk under one of those notorious branch-droppers! I've seen probably a dozen or more drop huge branches suddenly and without apparent reason and heard of a few folks killed or injured by them. We had one outside our front door that dropped a branch and crushed an iron railing! Called the tree service the next day and had that killer cut down.

I loves me a good healthy pine or oak to hang from!

[WalksInDark]

My Bro and I were trucking down the A.T. and had to climb over a tree which had blown down. Given that both my Bro and I have shorter legs (5'-5"/5'-6') and were carrying heavy backpacks, we pretty much sat heavily down on the log and swung our legs over.

Apparently the weight of our packs/or rear ends hitting the log were enough to send some vibration through the ground. About 15 feet behind us (where we had just hiked) a 12'-15' dead tree just off of the trail decided to fall completely over the trail.

(Don't know if you have noticed, but trees on much of the A.T. only stick into about 2'-3' of soil. )

While the tree did not hit us...it sure helps us remember to look up for snags before we hang our hammock. Yes, I have had to move my hammock even after looking up before I hung it. Sometimes, you hear branches falling...and know that it is time to move!

[PackBacker]

Crazy stories, i didnt see the thread on Spaceweaseal, but it looks like a pretty close call.

[Debi Jaytee]

My boyfriend and I were camping on an island out in Superior, we checked the trees, hung our hammocks and thought were were good. Just after we crawled in to our respective hammocks, one of his trees fell, not hard, I guess it kind of uprooted and sagged if you can picture that. Anyway, he's on the ground and now I'm paranoid about MY trees. Turns out the island was pretty much rock with a thin layer of soil on top so the trees didn't go very deep. It wasn't a very restful night.

[TheHangMan]

To recap, it sounds like the best thing to do is to be very selective, if possible, of initial site selection. Next is to deal with dead standing trees if able and/or permitted to, and always carefully scrutinize the health of the trees that you are putting your suspension around.
Thanks everyone for your insights and stories. I appreciate it.

[steveflinn]

I agree that pushing on a tree is a fine idea. Especially in low light...

Once I tied off to a pine at Tahoe around dusk. Turns out the pine-beetles had been there before me! When I got my knot tied I gave it a tug and the tree came right over.

I had just met my new GF's Dad and he was standing there telling me about being on the march from Normandy to Berlin. My "strength" impressed him mightily and it made us fast friends.

Fortunate for me I didn't cave his cabin or his daughter in while making that good first impression! Because while he is in his 90's he's still getting up everyday and doing his situps and pushups before hitting the floor!

[FreeRange]

In Yosemite above 8,000 ft, many years ago, I woke to the sound of a huge Jack Pine falling within feet of the tent. Scared the crap out of us.

I am more acutely aware of my surroundings before I set up camp.