Anyone else love trees? I love this quote by Thoreau-"But no weather interfered fatally with my walks, or rather my going abroad, for I frequently tramped eight or ten miles through the deepest snow to keep an appointment with a beech tree, or a yellow birch, or an old acquaintance among the pines; when the ice and snow causing their limbs to droop, and so sharpening their tops, had changed the pines into fir trees; wading to the tops of the highest hills when the show was nearly two feet deep on a level, and shaking down another snow-storm on my head at every step; or sometimes creeping and floundering thither on my hands and knees, when the hunters had gone into winter quarters." The first time I read it, I was glad I was not the only one in the world that felt this way!

I have several places I hike regularly, and over the decades have tracked the changing forest-noting when certain trees come down. I have certain trees that I really love-are very unusual-and I like to visit them. Of course, nothing lasts forever, and they occasionally have to become food for other life. I'm always kind of sad, but fascinated with the changing forest. And, also, love checking out the tree once it is down.

We had a massive ice storm here a few months ago. I went for a walk in the storm (keeping clear of power lines and trees). I heard crazy snapping and crashing. I watched a tree come crashing into the lake.

I recently went to a local park that used to be a nice stand of oak trees. They kept the oaks, but turned it into a park. Nonetheless, I still always loved checking out these old oak trees. I spent many summers under this particular oak. It was on a hill and gently leaned over a nice shaded area. The leaning must have been its undoing in the ice storm. I did not see the usual signs of rot when a tree comes down.

Anyway, this was a great tree, so thought I would share some pictures. I spent quite awhile climbing around it, and checking out the features. I find trees like this sacred and invaluable. I wish everyone did!

Oops, it won't let me post the pictures. Not sure what I am doing wrong. Only this one! :)

thanks for the post - There are more than a few trees I go out of my way to visit or simply stop to check out on the portage or trail. including one particular white spruce my dad introduced me to a short bushwhack away from Koma lake.

I love trees too!

More trees

Nice post portage99
I love trees, but I am a member of the Basswood family after all.

Here are bits of tree poems I remember.

Woodsman spare that tree
Touch not a single bough
In youth it sheltered me
And I'll protect it now.
_---------------
I think that I shall never see
A poem as lovely as a tree.
------------

What's your favorite species?
Mine would have to be the White Pine. Pinus Strobos.
You should travel to Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park in CA. I worked there a few years. Those Sequoia trees are incredible.

I still love a walk in the woods, and being surprised by a tree. Saying look at that one.
That's a nice tree. Been even known to hug a few.

Linden

I grew up in Nebraska and felt the beauty of open country. Then I moved to Minnesota and found that I loved the forest more. The forest of the BWCA is as important as the waters to me. I like to find the biggest or oldest tree near a campsite and enjoy periods of quiet time there. Just feels good!

Alder Portage Pines Cedar and Rock

Awesome comments & pics! So glad to hear I am not alone.

Here is one of my all time favs-looks like an arm reaching into one of my favorite local rivers. I always have to hug this tree. I will be sad when this one goes!

My favorite trees are cedar, oak, and birch. But, I truly love them all. I have never seen the Sequoias. It is on my bucket list. I may never leave once I see them! : )

I have a few more pics that I want to share but not sure what is up with my error message. :)

My best friend bought me a book of the oldest trees in the world. They are quite amazing creatures! If you think about how long trees live, there is something sacred about them. In another area I visit, we have 300 yr old oak trees-they are enormous!

Here are a few more (then I will stop, I swear!). This was my post-ice storm hike to see the damage. Unfortunately, the pines were hardest hit. They literally just tipped over from the weight of the ice. The photo of my dog and the root ball is supposed to show size. Although, it does not do it justice. The hole made by the root ball was literally 4 feet down. A massive hole in the earth. Pretty much decimated this little area of pine.

Whats neat is o look at the rings on a tree and look at the different years and what went on in the trees life and also in this country.
If only trees could talk. They have observed a lot of things in their lifetime.

I'm pro tree.

Here is a little tree joke I've used against my professional foresters I work with. You all know about an increment bore used to extract the tree rings, to count the age if a tree without cutting it down?
_-----------------
How does the DNR Forestry bore a tree?

They talk to it. ;-)

Trees are good people.

I love trees to they are very useful to people for many reasons.

I am heating my house with some of them right now. I built my house with them.

Very useful for sure.

I'm a tree guy too. I have a few tree "friends" that I hike in to visit from time to time.

A Chippewa Indian fellow told me that their stories tell that,

Trees are their grandmothers hair.

Can't remember why, but it had something to do with their age.

Who is not amazed when they run across a big white pine... this one was north of Van Lake, used it for a landmark on a bushwhack.

Two BWCA trees I really like:

1. The twisted northern cedars bending out and up from rock ledges and/or over the shoreline into the lake.

2. The towering white pines with their lopsided shelf-like branches sticking out above the other trees.

I like almost all of them. Except Melaleuca. Grew up in Florida and they area real pain.

quote rtallent: "Who is not amazed when they run across a big white pine... this one was north of Van Lake, used it for a landmark on a bushwhack. "

Agreed Rtallent,

I nice healthy White Pine that hasn't been topped off by porcupines or blister rust is a sight to behold.
With their big horizontal branches reaching sideways to say good nite to the setting sun.

I can't imagine what the northeast US would look like if they hadn't been clearcut.

I was on the first prescribed burn in Itasca State Park, Mn in 1995 ish. We were burning to restore White Pine trees and habitat.

Love trees with Birch being my favorite.

I love big beautiful trees. I love the way they grow at impossible angles, fall down & keep on growing. Wrapped around rocks that seem rediculous, grow in a complete circle. After seeing a thread on here about the lob trees up North that the Vouyagers used to navigate, I became interested in Indian marking trees. I hope to see one in person one day, a piece of living history.

Great Lakes trail tree society

quote Swampturtle: "I love big beautiful trees. I love the way they grow at impossible angles, fall down & keep on growing. Wrapped around rocks that seem rediculous, grow in a complete circle. After seeing a thread on here about the lob trees up North that the Vouyagers used to navigate, I became interested in Indian marking trees. I hope to see one in person one day, a piece of living history.


Great Lakes trail tree society "

White cedar is my #1 followed by white pine.

Never met a tree I didn't like.

Big oak trees.

Loving our tree loving group!

One of my favorite things about the Wabakimi Project was looking for the blazes on trees. Thinking about how long ago they were made, and the life of the tree over that time.

At Starved Rock they have a slice of a beautiful elm that was felled by Dutch Elm Disease. There is a sliver of a bullet lodged a long time ago. I like to think of some mysterious event-you know a lovers quarrel, a murder….probably a hunter!

I remember this tree before it died. Largest canopy in IL.

http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WMJ36E_Tree_Ring_Display_Starved_Rock_State_Park_Visitor_Center_Uitica_IL

I can't paste the link on my dumb phone but copy this into your browser.
Or google US Public Land Survey Bearing Trees.

Many of those trees are still alive since they were bearing trees and not cut by the turn of the century lumbering.

http://www.examiner.com/article/bearing-tree

And again portage
Awesome post, coming from a guy who is named after a tree.

Linden/Basswood,
Dweller of the Linden Tree Valley.

My place is called LindenWood.
Portage, you have given me a new appreciation of trees, they are not to be taken for granted.
I sometimes thought I was the only one who saw trees in a different light.

I have a huge Linden tree growing right next to this place I built with logs cut off my land.

Trees in canoe country can be pretty fascinating. Growing out of rock and all kinds of odd predicaments. I heat with wood myself. We have an abundance of dead trees in back of my place. I like cleaning up around nice trees and seeing how they can sort of spread their wings. Like Bass pro, I like a good healthy stand of birch.

quote nctry: "Trees in canoe country can be pretty fascinating. Growing out of rock and all kinds of odd predicaments. I heat with wood myself. We have an abundance of dead trees in back of my place. I like cleaning up around nice trees and seeing how they can sort of spread their wings. Like Bass pro, I like a good healthy stand of birch."

There is one hell of a stand of BIG birch trees on Stockton Island in the Apostle Islands. Its on Trout Point trail if you ever get the chance to visit, its worth the trek.

Here's my grandson hugging a tree he liked.

I call this one "The Scream". I was hiking alone at Newport State Park in WI and had the eerie feeling somebody was watching me. Looked all around and saw no one, then looked up and saw this.

I live in Washington in the land of tall mighty Douglas firs and cedars. They don't call us the evergreen state for nothing. I love them even though their pollen puts me in bed every spring.

And I love my red and white BWCA pines!

I'm unsure of my relationship to the big white pine three feet from my house. Its some 110 feet tall and about 24 in dbh. Rather I am unsure it does not want to kill me.

Its got some 500 offspring near by and we murder some each summer to keep them somewhat unentangled.

We have some wonderful eastern hemlocks too but they are more moderate sized though there is one 80 feet tall back there.

I do not like all trees. I like white birch and hate beech.

Love trees, myself. When I lived in Northern Wisconsin, one of the things I loved was the big Red and white pines everywhere. I remember a little park we used to go to on the Wisconsin River near Merril; there were some pines we couldn't interlock our arms and get our arms wrapped around.

Same for the BWCAW, but I also have to have a few Balsams around my campsite. Nothing like taking a few Balsam needles and "Washing" your hands with them. I have a little balsam bag sitting on our dresser that I bought from the BWJ decades ago. It still has a northwoods smell and I pick it up and "Smell" of it a few times a week.

When I've visited down south, the long leaf pines, and live oaks are special too. Throw a little Spanish moss on them and they are as pretty as any Christmas tree out there.

And Cypress, ahh, my shelter on many a fishing trip. Around here there are a few cypress swamps around the rivers. A little lake in Southern Illinois named "Horseshoe" where I fished often as a kid was full of them. Also Reelfoot Lake, in western TN, another of our places to go as a kid. I love those cypress as much as the crappie, sunfish, and bowfins I pulled from their knees. I remember making fun of the developers of a new subdivision in the area decades ago when the owners named it "Cypress Ridge!" I've seen many a Cypress tree, but as my grandma would have said "Aint nary on no RIDGE" (LOL)!

Here at the farm, my favorite are the old Walnut trees and the Catalpa. There is an old Walnut in our front yard that I probably have taken 1K pictures of? And my Catalpas, not good to heat with, build with, darn near useless. BUT, those big, heart shaped leaves were probably welcome to settlers before the advent of Charmin (LOL)? And a prettier, more aromatic flower does not exist IMHO? I hear about "Catalpa worms" and those statements are a bit misleading. You don't see them very often. Can't remember last time we had a crop of Catalpa worms in our trees?

Then there's the old stands of Eastern Red Cedar. The wood grain is the beautiful and unfinished is aromatic and adorns upscale closets. I get up to a bedroom full of it every morning. They adorn the poor pieces of soil on the farm that the other trees spurn. But places like the old graveyard, where we have the old giants standing guard over gravestones from the 1800's, are where they truly show their stature when given a little good soil and room to grow.

Walking through the stands of Shortleaf Pine here are a pleasant experience year round. In the winter, along with their little Red Cedar cousins, they provide shelter from the cold winter winds. In the spring, they give me a place to hide while I'm calling turkeys. And in the summer, walk through a stand of pines, stop, take a few deep breaths, then repeat until all your worries and cares fade away;. Ahhhh!

In another month I'll start watching for the first of our Spring "Show." It begins with the Serviceberry, which some mistake for Dogwoods. But they are too early and the flowers and pattern are very different. Then the Redbuds, followed by the fruit trees. Next comes the Dogwood show, and finally in the waning weeks of May and beginning of June we have the Catalpa and Mimosas.

Since this is a BWCA forum, you'all are familiar with Northwoods trees, so ere's a few of my favorites from our area. Beginning with my walnut friend in the front yard. I guess I should add a "Hugging" pic, so I have my wife hugging a big Ponderosa out west? I must confess, I'm a "Tree hugger" too!






Catalpa






Serviceberry & Dogwood






Redbud






Mimosa






Native MO Red Cedar






Native MO Shortleaf Pine






Tree Hugger

the mimosa in full bloom is beauty to behold. brought back memories to a child of the Deep South.

an ancient white pine on a bushwack portage in Q

"The clearest way into the Universe is through a forest wilderness."
John Muir

Great posts. I have never seen a Mimosa.

I had to travel to Phoenix for work this week. Being a prairie wench, I was fascinated with the saguaro. I know they are not a tree, but tree-like! My new fascination.

Here's to you, saguaro!

quote QuietWaters: "
I call this one "The Scream". I was hiking alone at Newport State Park in WI and had the eerie feeling somebody was watching me. Looked all around and saw no one, then looked up and saw this. "

That place… is strong with the dark side of the Force...

I know, I know....I am obsessed with the ice storm damage! However, it really was quite the ice storm and took out so many big, old trees. I went to one of my favorite spots to hike in the recent snowfall. It snowed the whole time I was out-magical! I stumbled upon deer covered in snow---of course, the picture did not turn out, but you can kind of see one of them peeking out below. Anyway, I had not been to this area since the ice storm, and there was a lot of trees down along this trail. Again, mostly old big trees that were growing at on a hillside. The weight of the ice just tipped them. I thought this one fell in an unusual way-looks like it twisted and splintered or something. People didn't think of this large scale destruction when they harvested from the woods. In this area, it will take awhile to replace these big trees.








Another tree along the way..








Deer are, of course, very common in the woods, but I have not seen so many in a bunch, all covered in snow. This one kept playing peek-a-boo with me.

"Mordor" of Isabella Lake in October 2012.
It will recover and lush green will emerge again.
Standing trees. Somewhat beautiful in its own way.

Trees are cool!

My favorite trees are white pines, bur oaks, and eastern hemlocks.
The hemlocks are exceedingly rare this far west, but I have greatly enjoyed them while paddling in the East.

Old growth sugar maples and the fantastic smell of balsam poplars in the spring are also high on the list.

birch, duluth

These are photos of Sequoia's in The Trail of 100 Giants in Sequoia National Monument taken this November.

quote oneportage: " These are photos of Sequoia's in The Trail of 100 Giants in Sequoia National Monument taken this November.



"

One of these days.... I so want to visit the Sequoias and one of my paddling buddy's daughter lives at Kings Canyon (her husband with NPS). I NEED to get out there!

quote oneportage: " These are photos of Sequoia's in The Trail of 100 Giants in Sequoia National Monument taken this November. "

Wow what a area to winter snowshoe in.

quote ozarkpaddler: "

quote oneportage: " These are photos of Sequoia's in The Trail of 100 Giants in Sequoia National Monument taken this November.



"

One of these days.... I so want to visit the Sequoias and one of my paddling buddy's daughter lives at Kings Canyon (her husband with NPS). I NEED to get out there!"

You should go, Those trees are a sight! You won't regret the trip.

Lifetime love affair with trees going on with me. I also like working with wood, the character or grain in different types etc. !$/a


The Birch is from Sylvania, I've never seen anything like that twisted root mass. I think that roots like that develop as they grow around a downed log, a nurse log, the nurse log then decompses and leaves the tunnel in the root structure. Must have been a helluva log. The Bristlecone Pine is from Cedar Breaks National Monument in Utah, not too far from Bryce Canyon. Estimated to be about 1600 years old, elevation is about 10,500'.

Swampturtle: "I love big beautiful trees. I love the way they grow at impossible angles, fall down & keep on growing. Wrapped around rocks that seem rediculous, grow in a complete circle. After seeing a thread on here about the lob trees up North that the Vouyagers used to navigate, I became interested in Indian marking trees. I hope to see one in person one day, a piece of living history.


Great Lakes trail tree society

Swampturtle, your pic looks like a possible Native American Trail Marker Tree

TuscaroraBorealis: "I love trees too!


More trees "

Here’s me with the same tree, lower Johnson falls area.

Savage Voyageur: "

TuscaroraBorealis: "I love trees too!



More trees "

Here’s me with the same tree, lower Johnson falls area. "

Love those old Cedars there almost as old as some of us canoe campers. They are like 1100 years old, give or take a year.

1100 years? That warrants a hug, a kiss, and genuflection.

One of my favorite times for trees is right now, after the leaves have been shucked and you can see their skeletal symmetry, as with maples, silver maples notwithstanding, or their brawny asymmetry, like oaks, with muscular limbs askew. And when a spruce is frosted with snow, there's nothing finer.

missmolly: "1100 years? That warrants a hug, a kiss, and genuflection."

I’m not kidding you when I say it was 12 feet in circumference. Two guys could barely reach each other. TB showed me where it was located.

Savage Voyageur: "

missmolly: "1100 years? That warrants a hug, a kiss, and genuflection."

I’m not kidding you when I say it was 12 feet in circumference. Two guys could barely reach each other. TB showed me where it was located. "

I believe you. I've a couple nine footers (one spruce and one white pine) and they're my babies. Big babies!

LindenTree3: " Swampturtle, your pic looks like a possible Native American Trail Marker Tree "

Yes, I believe it is. It was the best Xmas present. I was working 24-7 for days & it was close to my gig, i knew I needed a break. I thought it might be boring with its short loop hike & its planted rows, but the smell of the pines brought me back to life...and the marking tree & me were the only witnesses to the magic of the forest. Something ancient to behold & I will always treasure & return to it.

I like trees, and I hate unclosed quote tags.

How do you do that mirth?
I thought only swampturtle could fix it.

LindenTree3: "How do you do that mirth?
I thought only swampturtle could fix it."

When the posts are broken like that it's because somebody accidentally deleted the close-quote markup tag. So you can start your post with one, as mirth did. You just type the following: </quote> but note that right here I used html codes to get that to appear, which should prevent it from affecting the next post (we'll see).

all fixed..

I love the trees also that are hoizontal(sp) to the water hanging from a rock cliff. It amazes me how they can do that.

The forest just wouldn't be the same without trees. Duh.