Wauneka Gap Tree

northridge · Post by **northridge** » April 16th, 2017, 11:50 am

On the western side of the so-called "Wauneka Gap", scramblers often pause to admire a lone tree standing guard at the edge of the rocky, mossy cliff edge.

There are many photos of the tree around. Here is one from a trip report by bobcat (2015):

It was noticed yesterday that the tree is no longer present.

acorn woodpecker · Post by **acorn woodpecker** » April 16th, 2017, 12:30 pm

How unfortunate. It was such an iconic tree for a dramatic viewpoint! The "Gap" was a nice reprieve while ascending Wauneka and made more so by the existence of that tree perched along the cliff edge to admire. Did you see its carcass in the talus field below the cliffs or on the less steep grassy slope to the west?

pablo · Post by **pablo** » April 16th, 2017, 5:34 pm

I remember that tree well and mourn its passing.

In context:

Prop for in-hike photo.

--Paul

Bosterson · Post by **Bosterson** » April 16th, 2017, 8:44 pm

What!

Ditto, did you find it down on one of the slopes below?

Please don't tell me Rick's Meetup group went up there and cut it down so that no more of their members would "trip" over it and have to be SAR'd out or whatever!!

From 2013:

Guy · Post by **Guy** » April 17th, 2017, 1:50 pm

So weird that there is no sign of it ever being there! I can only assume the wind uprooted it and blew it over the edge but I'd expect to see some rocks pulled up too if that happened.

Feeling compelled to share my own photo now

Webfoot · Post by **Webfoot** » April 17th, 2017, 2:02 pm

Bosterson wrote: Please don't tell me Rick's Meetup group went up there and cut it down so that no more of their members would "trip" over it and have to be SAR'd out or whatever!!

Will you let me in on the joke?

mandrake · Post by **mandrake** » April 17th, 2017, 2:41 pm

A woman participating in a NW Wilderness meetup hike took a fall up there last December.

http://katu.com/news/local/woman-66-fal ... iver-gorge

Bosterson · Post by **Bosterson** » April 17th, 2017, 2:46 pm

Rick also mentioned going back afterward with a saw or something to take care of the root or branch that the woman tripped over. Very unlikely that it was the whole tree, but you can never tell with that Meetup group.

I'm pretty sad about that tree - it was such a nice sentinel welcoming you to the top of the Gap. Hopefully Northridge will clarify where it ended up.

Webfoot · Post by **Webfoot** » April 17th, 2017, 2:58 pm

Not the laugh I was hoping for.

mandrake · Post by **mandrake** » April 17th, 2017, 5:25 pm

Hopefully it expired of natural causes. It's been there a long time.

Memorial tree photo from 2004:

Oregon Hikers

Wauneka Gap Tree

Wauneka Gap Tree

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