READER REPORT: Close call in Fauntleroy Park

The photo and report are from Mara:

Today my husband and I went into Fauntleroy Park and were enjoying our packed lunch along one of the trails and sat on one of the park-made platforms. There is a breeze going thru the trees and didn’t seem like much wind really. Then we heard cracking start, and lo and behold, a tree top was heading our way! We jumped up and it didn’t get near us thankfully. But the entire top of a tree came down! Be careful – the trees are dry and we saw bigger branches on the trails as we headed back that were not there beforehand.

It indeed doesn’t take a windstorm to bring down a tree limb – hot, dry weather (today got into the upper 80s) can do it too, according to a variety of references we found like this one.

4 Replies to "READER REPORT: Close call in Fauntleroy Park"

  • Sheila G June 17, 2018 (7:50 pm)

    Just curious: did this occur in Lincoln Park, or is there a park called Fauntleroy Park? If so, where is it?

    • WSB June 17, 2018 (9:10 pm)

      Yes, Fauntleroy Park is just south of the Fauntlee Hills area. It’s where salmon are released into Fauntleroy Creek, among other things.
      https://www.seattle.gov/parks/find/parks/fauntleroy-park

      • Lauren Greenheck June 18, 2018 (1:26 am)

        Lincoln Park was the original Fauntleroy Park until the name change in the 1920s. Now we have a smaller Fauntleroy Park, about 100 acres smaller. Both beautiful.

  • Maria June 18, 2018 (10:45 pm)

    Note that falling large tree branches are commonly called “widow makers”.  And you can imagine the history of that term.

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