On the drive in, many trees were bowed over the road, making it look like we were driving down a tunnel. When the ice-covered branches were hit, they sounded like glass breaking. Most damage occurred in tree stands that had been selectively harvested, Evans said. Stands that had not been thinned were better able to withstand the weight of the ice because more branches were available for support. Preliminary reports have indicated that cabins, roads, and trails in the grant sustained no permanent damage.
Some trees are bent over completely.
It took three days to cut the trees out from the Green Gate to Hell Gate to continue logging. Damage was concentrated in hardwood trees because of their branching structure and composition. Hardwood branches snapped, but softwood trees bent under the weight of the ice. Hardwood trunks also soaked up more moisture, making them heavier. However, Evans is less worried about a fire danger to the grant than about the effects of lost animal habitats.