The Loss of a Friend

[resqme]

Had the opportunity to do some midnight snowshoeing in the Rubicon last Sunday night. When I saw this for the first time in the moonlight, it was pretty surreal. I truly have a sense of loss and am saddened.
The large historical Juniper on the high side of Little Sluice fell sometime in the last week. Clearly a victim of the unusual storm patterns this year (very wet snow, wet soil, and high wind), it fell directly across the trail. A group of folks was at Loon on Saturday night and ended up staying in the Kiosk because the 50 to 60 mph winds and several feet of snow that fell. I suspect that was when it fell. I last saw it standing on the March 23rd, and Ken Hower was up on the weekend of the 24th and saw it then when he went to show a newcomer the Sluice. No tracks past the kiosk since then, so no one has seen it standing since. Certainly no evidence that anybody messed with it or winched off of it (sacrilege!) when I saw it down. It also looks like there is much less snow on the tree than the five feet of fresh powder below it. Just Mother Nature taking her course. What a shame!

I’ve talked to the Forest and DOT, and both were disturbed to hear about it. No plans have been made as yet to do anything about it, but they just found out about it today. I do know that the tree belongs to the County and they have asked that we not “souvenir hunt”. Please leave it be for now, it will be removed their way in the spring so that this section of trail is passable. When I hear more, I’ll let folks know.

[upinit]

Thanks for the info. It will be strange not to see it. Sort of like Gatekeeper...

[atvobsession]

I never thought I read something about a tree, and be sad.

Mother nature giveth....and Mother Nature taketh away. Being there (at Loon Lake) on Saturday, I can confirm the wind was brutal. Had to be blowing in the 40's with gust much more than that.

I'm no detective....but it snowed more than what's on that tree in those pictures...so my hunch is she came down sometime around dusk on Saturday at the height of the storm.

When I last saw it, we parked just past winter camp, and walked. I took a friend who'd never been on the Rubicon. I told him about the 1920 photo, and the tree being full size some 90 years ago. So who knows how old it is....

RIP...It just won't be the same there.

[71BRONCO71]

It was a beautiful land mark. I remember the first time I saw it. I could believe that something that wicked grew out of the granite. It was sure a sight to be seen.

I told my friend tonight about the tree. He has never been to the rubicon, or real wheeling with his 71 land cruiser (He's done a lot of camping trips with me though). He has been building it slowly for the past 7 years. He has always been the type of person to say "I'll wheel later when I have the time and money." Sadly he will never see this land mark. I told him that slowly but surely things are changing and we need to act quick if we are ever allowed to see what this place has to offer. The "Time and Money" will always be hard. I hope that he thinks about it and makes time for the mountains.
But remember, It was a natural landmark and Mother nature said it was time.

Its a little creepy how something so mondane makes an impact.


Heres a good thread showing the Tree's original home.
/forum/rubicon-trail/995145-box-shots.html

[Bebe]

Heartbreaking.

[Kurtuleas]

[DirtyFun]

Sad, but that's Nature. Now to clean up the rocks that got pulled out of the wall...

[Co Pilot]

wow

[Todd W]

wow, never thought i'd see that down in my life time. The tree was always a topic of conversation at the little sluice each trip.

G`bye Tree

[cruzila]

Wow

[OOP'S]

Sad is the only word I can think to say. It impressed me the first time I saw it when I wheeled the Con in 1965!

[kdub0013]

[MochaMike]

And I thought wheeling news in Nor CA couldn't get any worse.

[Foolsize]

Originally Posted by MochaMike

And I thought wheeling news in Nor CA couldn't get any worse.

ironic I think......



we all kinda knew it was coming sooner or later though

[Paul Gagnon]

Goodbye tree, i'm glad i had the chance to sit in your shade.
One thing's for sure, we'll soon get to find out how old you were.

[patjeepyj]

I always admired that tree. It was like a link to the past. Viewing old photos that tree would look the same from decade to decade. Its a shame.

[DJ404564X4]

Bummer...

[dblue351]

Very very sad to read this!

[OTR]

Originally Posted by patjeepyj

I always admired that tree. It was like a link to the past. Viewing old photos that tree would look the same from decade to decade. Its a shame.

That was an old tree.



Lance posted this pic way back in 2003.





k.

[n6boa]

I was with John when we came upon this about 11pm. As he said, surreal. It was really sad. He took photos of it that night but they came out bad. We walked past it the next morning. Truly, it was a difficult scene to take in.

[renolaw]

I want to hug that tree! And say goodbye...

[STILWELL]

Wow! I can't beleve it, I will never forget the first time saw
little sluice and that tree will all the signs in it. It will not be the
same. Thanks for the Picts

[1uglyranger]

Did anyone else see KS hugging our friend a little to hard Saturday morning?

Pretty sure she is the cause of our loss. Lord knows she doesn't give two shits, and more than likely helped our friend give it up with one too many tight hugs......

RIP old friend, you will not have died in vain....

[TCARP1]

[SierraYota]

Pretty sad day