Amazing Exploding Redwood

[gf beranek]

During the hike back to the car on the Howland Hill Road Terri and I happened across this lightening strike.

I've seen lots of lightening struck redwoods over the years, but never one that had so completely splintered up into kindling. A pile nearly 200 feet long.

 

[woodworkingboy]

Wow, that is absolutely amazing! I wonder what it sounded like?

 

[gf beranek]

No one was there.

 

[woodworkingboy]

Or maybe if they were there up close, you'd never know it.

 

[PCTREE]

I could use some of that kindling

 

[gf beranek]

Very true. I was thinking the same thing. Wouldn't that be something.

It appears the tree was instantly transformed into what you see, and then half-ass collapsed and laid out.

 

[vharrison]

That is amazing!

 

[Al Smith]

Good heavens

I've seen trees blown to kingdom come but never that large or that dramatic .

What blows a tree apart on a lightning stike is the fact that the moisture is instantly converted to steam .The pressure on that one must have been tremendous .Never underestimate the power of mother nature.

 

[pantheraba]

An incredible sight...blown into every direction would be impressive enough...to be laid out like that is something I would have never imagined...thanks for the picture.

 

[MasterBlaster]

That's freaking unbelievable. Just imagine the sound and intensity of the event!!!

 

[woodworkingboy]

I don't think ear plugs would help much if you were close to that baby.

 

[gf beranek]

An Ironman suit maybe.

 

[woodworkingboy]

That looks like a motel for beavers, 'cept for the no water part.

 

[sotc]

very cool find jerry!

 

[gf beranek]

Not far from the Stout Grove, Willie. Across the Mill Creek bridge and just up the road.

 

[sotc]

im gonna have to start making a little time for some of this. been meaning to climb the state champ white pine for years now

 

[gf beranek]

AKA Sugar Pine?

 

[Al Smith]

AKA Sugar Pine?

Really now ,how 'bout that .Kinda like the Canadians calling hard maple as rock maple while we in these parts call it sugar maple perhaps ?

 

[Paul B]

thank goodness for the botanical nomenclature...

and really cool find Gerry, thanks for posting the pics! Didja take at least a piece of it home for kindling?

 

[pantheraba]

Imagine the surprise of the critters in and around that tree!!!

Don't need to be climbing with any electrical activity around, for sure.

 

[Al Smith]

I imagine the remains of that big old demolished tree is full of vermon . I don't however know of anything that digests the stuff .It was used here for years for sofit boards ,trim etc on homes ,picnic tables etc as nothing ate it and it resisted rot for decades . It seemed to hold paint a tad better than western red cedar .

 

[sotc]

AKA Sugar Pine?

nope western white pine -Pinus monticola

 

[TGCIII]

hard to fathom that kind of power in an less than a second. i've never seen anything like that. thanks for the pic

 

[Dave Shepard]

Wow! That's really wild! At first I thought you had taken a picture of the edging pile next to our sawmill. It doesn't look like there is anything any bigger than that in that mess.


Dave

 

[gf beranek]

I had a hard time believing what was there until I walked around and put the puzzle together. It astonished me. And what a grand finale after the hike through the Boys Scouts Grove. Whew!