the precariously perched tree

so we went winter camping. it was cold!! obviously though... it is called WINTER camping. Anyway, we headed for the matthieu lakes loop trail but the snow and our little two wheel drive didn't like each other... so we headed back down took a turn to the right and drove as far down this little two-track that the car would go. parked it. strapped on the backpacks and started walking down the two-track which eventually ended and turned into an overgrowth of manzanitas before it changed into a forest that had fallen down. we kept heading up. found a beautifully snowy ridgeline surrounded by the dead trees. no wind. set up camp. built a raging fire and enjoyed the cold night. around 10ish the wind decided to take off.... and i mean really take off! the trees were swaying... the tent was beating us in the face.... we could hear the forest cracking all around us. but we remained in our tent. i was simply trying to get warm enough to feel my toes and cheeks... started drifting off to sleep but the fierceness of the wind kept waking me up... then CRACK AND SMASH! the ground shook. we both screamed! j jumped out of the tent and right there a few feet from my head was the precariously perched tree that had fallen across our camp fire. so we sat in the tent pondering the dangers of staying where we were (there were a-lot of trees that were still cracking and swaying) or hiking out into the snowy night and trying to find our way out in the dark (since we had not been on a trail it wasn't going to be easy) then the wind screamed, a tree creaked, the ground shuddered and we both ducked and covered (like that would have done us any good) no more words... we both just jumped up and started packing up... camp was torn down and packed up in less than 10 minutes and other than j-baby falling over a rock after chasing the tent when the wind took it (he didn't get hurt -- just laughed himself silly afterwards) it went very smoothly considering all of the ducking and covering. so... we found our tracks in the snow... followed them down over the log strewn hill (now we know why it was log strewn) and finally found the manzanita covered path. we turned off our headlamps and walked the last hour under the full moon and stars. it was beautiful. we always say how much we enjoy night hiking and it was a perfect night for it. found the car. drove home. and were safe and sound in our bed by about 3am. i think we will do it again next weekend :)