13/05: More Big Trees
Category: General
Posted by: The Agnew Family
On the northern California coast we saw coast redwoods (Sequoia sempervirens), today we are going to see another type of redwood, giant sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum). Giant Sequoia only grow naturally on the western slope of the Sierra Nevada (California).
The large grove of giant Sequoia trees at Yosemite National Park is closed for renovations so we popped into Calaveras State Park to visit the giant Sequoias there. According to Wikipedia "Giant sequoias are the world's largest single trees and largest living thing by volume. Giant sequoias grow to an average height of 50–85 m (164–279 ft) and 6–8 m (20–26 ft) in diameter. Record trees have been measured to be 94.8 m (311 ft) in height and over 17 m (56 ft) in diameter.[3] The oldest known giant sequoia based on ring count is 3,500 years old. Giant Sequoias are among the oldest living things on Earth."
But before we get to the trees so we saw this great view.
We started our visit to the Giant Sequoias by hiking a 5 mile trail in the south grove.
This tree is called Agassiz. This tree is ranked among the largest giant sequoias. Approximate dimensions are 25 feet in diameter at 6 feet above the ground and 250 feet tall. Your first view of the tree is the photo on the left. When you walk around the tree you see the result of fire damage. Ed's standing inside the tree with his arms out stretched to give you an idea of how large the fire scar is.
The cone from a Giant Sequoia is the size of an egg.
No one knows when this tree fell across the creek but it may have been lying here for centuries.
You can walk lengthwise through most of the tree if you don't mind getting your feet wet.
This tree is called Chimney Tree. This tree burned inside so severely that a chimney formed up through its broken top (you could see daylight when you looked up). The tree is still living as the sapwood which is found just inside the bark is transporting water and nutrients.
Giant Sequoias are part of the mixed coniferous forest. The most common trees of the mixed coniferous forest are Sugar Pine, White Fir, Incense Cedar, Ponderosa Pine, Mountain Dogwood (the photo is dogwood flowers) and Black Oak.
There is also a north grove at Calaveras State Park. This grove has been an active tourist spot since the late 1850's.
Rounded crowns and large branches (with diameters up to six feet) are typical of the older sequoias. The photo on the left is the Pioneer Cabin Tree. A tunnel was cut into the tree in the late 1880's to attract tourists.
Standing beside a giant sequoia looking up.
The large grove of giant Sequoia trees at Yosemite National Park is closed for renovations so we popped into Calaveras State Park to visit the giant Sequoias there. According to Wikipedia "Giant sequoias are the world's largest single trees and largest living thing by volume. Giant sequoias grow to an average height of 50–85 m (164–279 ft) and 6–8 m (20–26 ft) in diameter. Record trees have been measured to be 94.8 m (311 ft) in height and over 17 m (56 ft) in diameter.[3] The oldest known giant sequoia based on ring count is 3,500 years old. Giant Sequoias are among the oldest living things on Earth."
But before we get to the trees so we saw this great view.
We started our visit to the Giant Sequoias by hiking a 5 mile trail in the south grove.
This tree is called Agassiz. This tree is ranked among the largest giant sequoias. Approximate dimensions are 25 feet in diameter at 6 feet above the ground and 250 feet tall. Your first view of the tree is the photo on the left. When you walk around the tree you see the result of fire damage. Ed's standing inside the tree with his arms out stretched to give you an idea of how large the fire scar is.
The cone from a Giant Sequoia is the size of an egg.
No one knows when this tree fell across the creek but it may have been lying here for centuries.
You can walk lengthwise through most of the tree if you don't mind getting your feet wet.
This tree is called Chimney Tree. This tree burned inside so severely that a chimney formed up through its broken top (you could see daylight when you looked up). The tree is still living as the sapwood which is found just inside the bark is transporting water and nutrients.
Giant Sequoias are part of the mixed coniferous forest. The most common trees of the mixed coniferous forest are Sugar Pine, White Fir, Incense Cedar, Ponderosa Pine, Mountain Dogwood (the photo is dogwood flowers) and Black Oak.
There is also a north grove at Calaveras State Park. This grove has been an active tourist spot since the late 1850's.
Rounded crowns and large branches (with diameters up to six feet) are typical of the older sequoias. The photo on the left is the Pioneer Cabin Tree. A tunnel was cut into the tree in the late 1880's to attract tourists.
Standing beside a giant sequoia looking up.