Clarks creek // Clarks valley..... it's coming.

[krayfish2]

I've driven the entire length of it four times this year. Your biggest fear used to be a deer running out in front of the car. Currently, I'd say you are more likely to be hit by falling branches or an entire tree.

Most have seen the photos of log jams in the creek but huge number of dead trees isn't limited to streamside. When driving up that valley in daylight you will see several hundred v-shaped dents in the guardrail where trees have fallen in the past. Hundreds more have missed the guardrail and they're almost close enough to knock the mirror off your car
as you pass by. This is especially bad between the Dehart dam and route 325
intersection.

Last night on my way home from the Lehigh in the dark and rain, I got as close as I want to get to a tree falling on me... as I want to get. The poor lady coming the opposite direction was even closer and shook pretty bad. Luckily the tree was fairly rotted and I had several ratchet straps in the truck. Fashioned a makeshift drag handle to move the logs to the shoulder. One section was 30'+ and it took everything I had to drag it a foot at a shot. I understand that the state can't go through and sweep the valley for became trees that are a fall hazard but they really should clean it up along the main road. It's just a matter of time before someone gets tagged while driving, hunting or fishing in that area.

Now referring to it as 'Widowmaker valley'

 

[sixfootfenwick]

Wow that sounds dangerous and not something I considered with the problem at Clarks.
You take it easy, I would imagine that was terrifying

 

[Bamboozle]

It's a huge problem everywhere and at least two people in the last few years not too far from me were killed by falling trees/branches.

 

[falcon]

I worked for several months at a time in Binghamton. I stayed in Equinunk and traveled RT 191 along the Delaware at 5:30 AM. I carried a chain saw in the car. It is a good idea in many more rural areas.

 

[troutbert]

It's a huge problem everywhere and at least two people in the last few years not too far from me were killed by falling trees/branches.

Were they cutting down trees? In my area I've heard of several people have been killed by falling dead limbs, while they were cutting down trees.

These "widow-makers" have always been a danger during tree cutting. But it's probably getting worse because people are doing a lot of cutting of trees dead or dying from all the pests afflicting trees.

If you are camping in the woods, don't set your tent up under a tree with a lot of dead limbs. They could come down, especially if it gets windy.

 

[krayfish2]

I worked for several months at a time in Binghamton. I stayed in Equinunk and traveled RT 191 along the Delaware at 5:30 AM. I carried a chain saw in the car. It is a good idea in many more rural areas.

You couldn't pay me to drive 191 daily at 5am. You'll have to replace ball joints every 6 months. LoL

 

[Bamboozle]

In my area we have a lot of ash dying from the Emerald Ash Borer and sassafras dying from Laurel wilt spread by the Redbay Ambrosia Beetle. My township was in the news a short time ago because they mandated that homeowners cut down trees that a hired arborist concluded were under threat of falling on the roadways.

The outcry was horrendous because some folks were quoted tens of thousands of dollars for removal. Eventually the township backed down found funding and cut the trees down themselves. The bottom line is there are still a LOT of trees dead & dying everywhere around here including along walking paths in township parks.

The other problem for homeowners is in many cases some dead trees are precariously laying on telephone or CATV lines out over the roadway so the homeowner doesn't want to remove the tree for fear of knocking down the line. Electric utility companies WILL cut or prune trees that threaten their lines but the wires in question I am referring to are NOT electric utility lines.

IF you call the telecom or CATV companies they will emphatically tell you they don't cut or prune trees and they don't answer to the PUC so you think you are between a rock and a hard place HOWEVER...

Homeowners and township mangers take note:

...If you rat them out to the FCC who they DO have to answer to, they will come and cut the tree leaning on the wire.

Trust me I've done it twice and it works like a charm...

 

[djs12354]

I've driven the entire length of it four times this year. Your biggest fear used to be a deer running out in front of the car. Currently, I'd say you are more likely to be hit by falling branches or an entire tree.

Most have seen the photos of log jams in the creek but huge number of dead trees isn't limited to streamside. When driving up that valley in daylight you will see several hundred v-shaped dents in the guardrail where trees have fallen in the past. Hundreds more have missed the guardrail and they're almost close enough to knock the mirror off your car
as you pass by. This is especially bad between the Dehart dam and route 325
intersection.

Last night on my way home from the Lehigh in the dark and rain, I got as close as I want to get to a tree falling on me... as I want to get. The poor lady coming the opposite direction was even closer and shook pretty bad. Luckily the tree was fairly rotted and I had several ratchet straps in the truck. Fashioned a makeshift drag handle to move the logs to the shoulder. One section was 30'+ and it took everything I had to drag it a foot at a shot. I understand that the state can't go through and sweep the valley for became trees that are a fall hazard but they really should clean it up along the main road. It's just a matter of time before someone gets tagged while driving, hunting or fishing in that area.

Now referring to it as 'Widowmaker valley'

Glad to hear that you both got out of there safely!
Made me remember Sunday afternoon as my friend and I were coming off the water for the day watching a large branch come crashing down. Luckily, it was a little way away from us.