BELLINGHAM — Being killed by a falling tree is very rare, according to the American Alpine Institute, a hiking and climbing instructional organization in Bellingham.
Hikers were wondering the odds after a woman was killed by a falling dead wood from a tree while hiking the Lake Ann Trail in the Mount Baker National Forest earlier this month in Whatcom County.
When you look at all the ways people can be injured or killed when hiking, falling trees/branches hardly makes the list, Jason Martin, executive director for the institute, said in a telephone interview.
Falling trees and limbs are most dangerous to people in tents, or during a wind storm, according to Martin.
All people can really do is be smart about where they sent up camp and to keep their eyes open for dead, dying or weak trees, Martin said. He said people should also watch out for fallen trees that are being held up by the branches of other trees.
Tali Levin, a guide with the American Alpine Institute, said the Oct. 8 tragedy is the first time she has heard about a falling tree fatality in Whatcom County. Usually, windstorms cause trees to fall, usually in the fall and winter months, when fewer hikers are on the trails.
Falling trees and branches are not just a problem for hikers, Martin said. People have been known to die in city parks from falling tree branches.
There are many more common dangers when hiking, such as hypothermia dehydration and sprained ankles.
