Historic Hood River
Icepocalypse
Notes
Every generation has key storm events used as a measuring sticks for future storms. For today’s forecast ice storm, the measuring stick will be the ice storm of January, 2012. That storm blanketed the entire Hood River valley in ice of varying thickness. Ice damage to the forest in Post Canyon was severe, with large numbers of trees snapped like twigs blocking all roads.
I took this photograph a week after the ice storm, when I ventured out on foot to survey the damage to trails in Post Canyon. There was debris everywhere, but at certain elevations where ice loading and winds were just right trees were toppled over intact, exposing root balls and leaving large holes. Some trails had huge holes every 50-100 yards.
Of course my dog was unconcerned, as he had his trusty tennis ball.
After the storm the county conducted salvage logging sales in some of the more heavily damaged areas, and trail users began the process of rebuilding the trail network.
What was the impact of that storm in your area? I recall electric power was out in Dee for over a week. What else can you add about the impact of that storm?
Marilyn
I remember it well, we watched the cottonwoods behind us exploding. It was so loud. Amazing to watch, I didn’t know trees could explode like that. Several days of cleanup required.
BethH
The Dee Hwy was closed for over a week, I believe. Lots of trees down across the road about a 1/4 mile north of Winans Corner/ Iowa Dr.
I had lots of damage in my trees, just off Trout Cr Ridge. I remember everything heavy with snow and ice- then the wind came up during the night and I listened to limbs and trees breaking.
Buck Parker
I was not here for the storm itself, but what I remember is the aftermath. All the broken and downed limbs fed an explosion of fir or other beetles, so trees that appeared to survive died over the next two or three years. And the explosion of insects led to an explosion of woodpecker and flicker populations around our place that lasted for several years.