Scratchpad: Sculpted by the wind
Aug. 31—The krummholz effect, sometimes used to refer to subalpine trees found growing in solitude among the rocky terrain of mountainous slopes, describes a common sight on the North Coast.
Land, sea, salt and wind interact to shift the direction of resilient coastal trees, leaving them as landmarks of the weather pattern. Monterey cypress, shore pines, western hemlocks and others withstand fierce gusts by adapting in shape, shedding lower branches and leaning away from the winds.
One such twisting krummholz, now living in the memories of some Cannon Beach residents, was known as the Wedding Tree. It once sat near Adams Street, with a view of the Pacific.
"In its day," wrote Cannon Beach painter Jeffrey Hull, describing a watercolor landscape of the tree, "the limbs were said to wrap around, looking like arms to hold you. There was also a bench for watching the sunset."
While the tree no longer stands, a reminder of the landscape in constant motion, many others remain, visible on a drive along U.S. Highway 101, sculptures among the seascape.
