several closely related seeds from a nearby pine tree sprouted here, and grew together symbiotically. the roots of the tree were excavated by the rare bark-biting bryce beaver. an earthquake fault, like the sevier fault in nearby red canyon, dropped the canyon relative to the rim trail, leaving the roots sticking out of the ground. earthquakes shook the ground, shoving the tree up as the roots were squeezed by the compressional, or p, waves. the tree grew in the normal way, with its roots underground, but rapid erosion washed the dirt away, exposing the roots.
