Another Flying Tree from the Chiricahua Mountains

The recent hike on the Greenhouse trail in the high country of the Chiricahua Mountains provided another opportunity to look for more flying trees.  As previously described, the phenomena of flying trees seems to be confined to higher elevations in the Chiricahua Mountains and specific to several species of pines.  Over the winter, hiking was confined to lower elevations and the prospects for observing flying trees was minimal.  A previous trip on a workday with the Friends of Cave Creek Canyon on the Greenhouse trail resulted in an image of a flying tree so time was taken to explore the same area, at the wilderness boundary, to look for additional examples of flying trees.  After some searching, the image of another flying tree shown below was captured.  The repeatable observation of flying trees at a single location over time may suggest flying trees cluster in specific areas.  Since various species of pines cover the upper elevations of the Chiricahua mountain range it is unknown whether this is an indication of specific habitat requirements, or related to wind patterns on the lee side of the ridge, or simply a result of sampling error.  Additional observations are required to distinguish between these  alternatives.  Additional images of flying trees may be found through this link.

A flying pine tree along the Greenhouse trail

Falling Waters in the Chiricahua Mountains

Deep in the interior of the Chiricahua Mountains and several miles off trail the Portal Rodeo Hiking Club took the day to experience the falling waters of the Chirichua Mountains.   A stream exiting a canyon along a popular hiking trail was the turnoff for the falling waters hike.  No trail exists and a steep ascent was accompanied by the constant sound of falling water as hiking club members passed numerous small waterfalls in the stream bed.  The floor of the canyon cuts through a variety of colored bedrock ranging from green to black creating these small and entertaining waterfalls.  Finally, rounding a bend in floor of the canyon the final objective came into sight, an alcove with a beautiful 50 ft. high waterfall cascading over angled water worn black bedrock.  Although fire has swept the area the trees along hillsides are intact in many places, but several blowouts at side drainages are evident along the route.  The fire removed most of the fallen small trees and brush which had clogged the canyon and made the first mile a hike through open forest, but the second mile was either boulder hoping along the stream or negotiating steep slopes above the water.  Staying high allowed a number of hiking club members to enjoy lunch on top of the falls while others chose to stay low and ate in the alcove at the base of the falls.  Two flying trees were photographed during the hike in the high country one of which is shown below.

50 ft. waterfall in the Chiricahua Mountains

Cascading water

A flying tree in the high country of the Chiricahua Mountains

Chiricahua Mountains Flying Trees. Another Prediction

One obvious prediction arising out of the Flying Tree hypothesis that was not enumerated in the previous post centers on the residual portions of the Flying Tree left once the upper portions become airborne.  Since no lower trunk or roots are visible in the multi-image panoramic photographs, part of the flying tree must remain rooted in place, either rooted in the ground or showing evidence of a missing segment which includes the upper limbs, for example a fallen upper portion of the tree.  A search for just such evidence of residual flying tree stumps was undertaken on this weeks hike with the Portal Rodeo Hiking Club.  Below are 2 photographs of isolate tree stumps where the upper portions of the tress are missing.  The first is a multi-image panoramic photographic example of a rooted bottom portion of a burnt pine with missing upper portions of the tree.  While the second is a single photograph of another burnt tree also missing the upper portion.  The images are from Barfoot Park, on the edge of a heavily burned area (see here for a panoramic overview).  In both cases there is no evidence of the burnt upper portion of the tree anywhere in the vicinity of the base as would be expected if the upper portions fell while burning.

Flying Tree stump with missing upper portions (click to enlarge).

Flying Tree stump with missing upper portion.

Along the trail from Rustler Park to the Barfoot lookout another image of a Flying Tree in a burned area was captured.

Flying Tree from the Crest trail to Barfoot Lookout.  This specimen appears
entangled in 2 other trees preventing it from floating away.

Chiricahua Mountains Flying Trees: The Interface Between Science and Belief

On the recent outing with the Portal Rodeo Hiking Club another Chiricahua Mountains Flying Tree was encountered, this time on the ridge just west of Barfoot Peak.  While photographing during the lunch break on the ridge line the multi image panorama of the tree shown below was captured.  Upon returning to the Painted Pony Resort and processing the images in commercially available panorama software the resulting image was produced.  Another burned tree bereft of its' trunk and appearing as a collection of limbs floating in mid air.  While the mundane explanation, the image is a purely a result of the software, is most likely the correct explanation, a more intriguing notion also presents itself.  The possibility that the image represents an adaptive response of  Pine trees to intense fires such as the one areas of the high country experienced this summer in the Chiricahua Mountains. 

Figure 1.  Flying Tree in the Chiricahua Mountains

To become a viable scientific hypothesis, based on the image of a Flying Tree, several key points must be addressed.  Primarily the application of the scientific method.  Observation, hypothesis formation, predictions, and testing.
One - Observation.  Panoramic photographs of floating trees were produced from 2 hikes in the Chiricahua Mountains.
Two - Hypothesis.  These images of isolated segments of trees are an adaptive response to high intensity fire and are a trees mechanism allowing it to remove itself from areas of high intensity fire.
Three - Testable predictions.
            A.  Flying Trees will only be observed in areas of high intensity burn.
            B.  Flying Trees will only be observed at the highest elevations in areas with the highest sustained winds.
            C.  Flying Trees can be observed between mountain ranges following upper level wind patterns.
            D.  If a fire related dispersal or escape mechanism, Flying Trees should be observed with seeds (pine cones).
            E.   Evidence of displacement.  Flying Trees on the ground should be evident on mountain ranges down wind, and not associated with stumps, indicating landing .
           F.  Evidence of displacement.  Flying Trees should be found in areas where the species is not normally found indicating a missed landing.

Of the 6 testable predictions, 2 were tested.  Predictions A and B relate to location, areas of high intensity burn and high wind conditions.  The burn map produced by the BEAR team shows areas of burn intensity in the Chiricahua mountains, Figure 2.  The highest elevations of the Sky Islands in southeastern Arizona received the most intense burn and were areas with the highest sustained winds.  To test prediction A the location of the 2 Flying Trees was plotted.  Both occurrences of Flying Trees was consistent with high intensity burns (red areas).  Three roughly north south transects (2-3 miles in length) at 3 different elevations were also examined for flying trees, Figure 3.  A low elevation (5200'-5600') transect along the riparian areas in Cave Creek Canyon, a mid elevation transect in the interior of the Chiricahua Mountains (6000' - 6700'), and a high elevation transect (8600' - 9600').  Evidence of Flying Trees were only found along the high elevation transect, Figure 2.  No isolated flying pines were seen at mid or lower elevations nor were they observed in areas of lower burn intensity.

Burn intensity map with 3 transects and locations of Flying Trees (A).

Figure 3.  Topographic map of Chiricahua Mountains with 3 transects.

Wind speed generally increases with altitude and wind speeds with increasing altitude are available from a variety of sources.  In addition wind speeds at altitude may be estimated from lower elevation recordings. Based on the altitude differences between the lowest and highest transect the wind velocity is estimated to increase by 2 fold. Flying Trees were only observed at the windiest high elevations.

Predictions C, D, and F have not been tested.  Though preliminary data relating to prediction E (Evidence of displacement.  Flying Trees on the ground should be evident on mountain ranges down wind, and not associated with stumps, indicating landing) was gathered from elevations ranging from 4200' - 6900' in the Peloncillo Mountains.  Transects of similar length in Mouser Canyon, Gray Mountain, and Skeleton Canyon were all examined for Flying Trees.  In all 3 instances no evidence of Flying Trees was observed.  Although the elevations in the Peloncillo Mountains examined were similar to the low and mid elevation transects in the Chiricahua Mountains where no Flying Trees were observed.  No comparable high elevations exist in any range east of the Chiricahua Mountains and may require examination of upwind mountain ranges with elevations similar to the Chiricahua Mountains.

While evidence is presented that is consistent with the notion that certain species of pine have or have developed a specific flight response to high intensity fires, which may be either an escape or dispersal mechanism, the lack of evidence of  Flying Trees down wind cast doubt on the utility of the hypothesis and requires addition evidence.