Survival of the fittest

Walking around Gabriola Island, it never ceases to amaze me how resilient trees are when faced with adversity - even when it comes in the shape of a massive rock fall.  These specimens can be found along the trail leading to Sandwell Provincial Park.

Towering high above the trail, it's difficult to tell how this tree came to be the shape that it is. Maybe it was blown down many years ago, then recovered to grow back to health. Or maybe the horizontal growth is the last remaining part of its root network after the sandstone rockface collapsed from under it?  Either way, it's an amazing recovery!