The Devil Tree

After a little break in the weather, we are down to the teens and the ice is BACK! There isn’t much, but it is starting to form along the banks in some slow spots. This is in addition to the ice roots and ice shelves that formed as the water receded following the recent crest at 5.5 feet or so (3.2 is pretty normal). 

I went out with the higher water yesterday, and although I missed the 5’s, it was pretty sweet to go out with a bit of a flow and an occasional tail wind.

Things change with higher water and the usual route down the “rapids” is currently blocked by a tree truck that settled nicely against the bank, essentially creating a dam blocking what used to be a smooth run. Amongst the routes riddled with rocks and clunks, there is at least one smooth route. The ivy-covered trunk is without any branches and only a bit of water cascades through it and the rest of the debris that is all piled up over on that side. 

Turns out the trunk is from the Devil Tree, a dead scraggly thing that had bare branches that looked like the Abominable Snow Monster’s arms. The ivy on it created a huge robe that covered the monster’s head and body (but not the arms) and around dusk it looked really creepy. It was just waiting to crash on someone (but not me) while they checked out the leaning sycamore on the other side and wondered if it was going to fall. No way, it’s the Devil Tree you have to look out for. 

Well, not anymore.

The Devil Tree