Busted Aspen, Fremont Peak, December 2011
The past few winters have not been kind to the aspen growing at the upper limits of the aspen band on the San Francisco Peaks. Heavy snow and ice combined with high winds have seriously damaged many of the mature trees, leaving busted and broken trunks standing against the sky like telephone poles. In many places impossible deadfalls of shattered trees block all passage, forcing backcountry travelers to retreat around them to find another route.
I'm not sure what to make of this. On one hand I'm tempted to think it's related to climate change because as the climate warms storms are predicted to become more intense. And we've certainly had some very powerful snow and wind events the past few years. It makes sense that those trees growing at the limits of the species' range would see the first tangible effects. But on the other hand this damage may simply be a sign that these aspen have grown old and large enough to be vulnerable to storm damage. Perhaps this is an entirely normal thing. In any case it's a helluva thing to see.
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