25th anniversary of the start of Ice Storm of 1998

[peakbagger]

The ice storm of 98 was probably the most significant event to shape the forests in Northern VT, Northern NH, Western Maine and the Eastern townships of Quebec in a typical VFTT members lifetime.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/January_1998_North_American_ice_storm

https://wgme.com/news/local/lights-...-power-lines-down-mainers-governor-angus-king

New hikers probably have no clue what was lost. Entire mature forest stands were reduced to limbless stems with the remains of the crowns 10 to 20 feet deep in spots.

 

[dug]

Won't ever forget coming up after and seeing the devastation. What struck me were two things: First, there was a clear delineation of damage based on elevation. Second, seemed like every white birch tree within that band of damage was broken in half 15' off the ground.

 

[peakbagger]

When Hurricane Mountain Road was reopened, I took a drive down it. The mature hardwoods were just a forest of stems 12" diameter plus with no branches or crowns for as far as I could see. I was on the lower elevation fringe at 1400 feet. I lost 1/3 of my mostly red maples outright, another 1/3 were seriously impacted that kept growing and about a 1/3 were salvageable. Friends offered to come help but it was close to 7 days before the woods were safe to go out in as trees still were loaded with ice. Things would be quiet and then one tree would snap and that would set up a domino effect that may go on for 15 or 20 minutes.

 

[Dr. Dasypodidae]

When Hurricane Mountain Road was reopened, I took a drive down it. The mature hardwoods were just a forest of stems 12" diameter plus with no branches or crowns for as far as I could see. I was on the lower elevation fringe at 1400 feet. I lost 1/3 of my mostly red maples outright, another 1/3 were seriously impacted that kept growing and about a 1/3 were salvageable. Friends offered to come help but it was close to 7 days before the woods were safe to go out in as trees still were loaded with ice. Things would be quiet and then one tree would snap and that would set up a domino effect that may go on for 15 or 20 minutes.

Like machine gun fire. Woods were not safe even with a hard hat.

 

[Frodo]

The trail crews were very busy that Spring. I remember hiking the Hancocks in April 98 and it was more like a bushwhack...

 

[skiguy]

It was if a Giant had walked through the woods with a weedwhacker. We were very lucky to avoid any MAJOR forest fires considering all the downed timber. It was almost creepy walking through the woods in places. Reminiscent in spots of the old B&W photos from the logging days of the late 1800's.

 

[sierra]

I actually questioned the chances of the forest recovering in my lifetime.

 

[skiguy]

I actually questioned the chances of the forest recovering in my lifetime.

Nature is amazing.

 

[peakbagger]

My lot in Randolph reportedly had dense fairly old Sugar Maples, pre ice storm post ice storm, the beeches moved in big time as they can clone themselves off the roots of now dead or dying trees. That gave them a running start, unfortunately the beech blight also moved in, so I have large patches that need major Timber Stand Improvement. Its not bad in the winter but its still a jungle in summer as the canopy just has not come back yet.

 

[Andrew]

Was worried for a repeat 2 days ago.

In 1998 I was sitting in a bar in Keene NH with a friend, no doubt lamenting the rain destroying the good snow for XC skiing. We were shocked when the bartender announced my friends name, as his wife was on the other end of the phone the bartender was holding. Something about no electricity and branches crashing down..."please come home..."

We both lived in the same hill town of Nelson, NH, but drove to our homes in separate vehicles. My neighborhood was up over a ridge and down into a bowl near a lake, and as I descended down a hill with trees and branches bending and falling into the road, I could barely slide/stop in time for a solid one. Luckily I kept an ax in my truck and was able to chop through and make it to my cabin. This was just in the first few hours of the event. I had no grid electricity at my place for 10 days, but it wasn't so bad since I already heated with wood only and had no running water anyways. Used to heat water on the woodstove for cleaning and bathing and had a 12 volt solar powered showering arrangement. I fear ice storms more than most anything to this day and would guess I spent hundreds if not a thousand hours clearing trails for a couple years after.

 

[ChrisB]

Was worried for a repeat 2 days ago.

In 1998 I was sitting in a bar in Keene NH with a friend, no doubt lamenting the rain destroying the good snow for XC skiing. We were shocked when the bartender announced my friends name, as his wife was on the other end of the phone the bartender was holding. Something about no electricity and branches crashing down..."please come home..."

We both lived in the same hill town of Nelson, NH, but drove to our homes in separate vehicles. My neighborhood was up over a ridge and down into a bowl near a lake, and as I descended down a hill with trees and branches bending and falling into the road, I could barely slide/stop in time for a solid one. Luckily I kept an ax in my truck and was able to chop through and make it to my cabin. This was just in the first few hours of the event. I had no grid electricity at my place for 10 days, but it wasn't so bad since I already heated with wood only and had no running water anyways. Used to heat water on the woodstove for cleaning and bathing and had a 12 volt solar powered showering arrangement. I fear ice storms more than most anything to this day and would guess I spent hundreds if not a thousand hours clearing trails for a couple years after.

Sounds like you had the ideal existence in Nelson Andrew!!

I remember doing vol work with the FS clearing trails that spring. In one case we chain sawed our way up to a Wilderness boundary and the saw went silent. I looked at the operator and asked "out of fuel?" He just smiled... Then the work got a lot harder.

 

[Andrew]

You bet Chris, I certainly miss that simplicity in life and the many advantages it brought. Although there were many desperately cold nights snowshoeing a sled drag of 5 gal. water jugs to the cabin that were less than pleasant.

I was remembering yesterday a trip to Perth Ontario in the summer of 2000, where I went into a bookstore and was captivated by a stunning picture book displayed prominently on the front shelves. It was about the Ice Storm of '98 throughout the province, and I was surprised it was published so recent after the event. I spent quite a bit of time flipping through the pages amazed by the images, but came away thinking that we in NH got off easy in comparison.