Sequoia National Park - May 2011

Sequoia National Park is America’s second oldest park, and was created in 1890.  A week later it tripled in size and the Grant National Park was created to protect Grant Grove.  In 1940, General Grant was merged into the newly created Kings Canyon National Park.

In volume of total wood the giant sequoia stands alone as the largest living tree on earth. In the entire world, sequoia grows naturally only on the west slope of the Sierra Nevada, most often between 5,000 – 7,000 feet of elevation.  There are some 75 groves in all.  You can see by this photo how immense the trunk of the trees are relating to the van setting between them.

 Most of the Sierra trees die of disease and fungi, but nothing hurts the big tree.  Barring accidents, it seems to be immortal living in excess of 3000 years old. Chemicals in the wood provide resistance to insects and fungi and thick bark insults them from most fires.  The main cause of deaths is from toppling.  They have a shallow root system with no taproot.  Soil moisture, root damage and strong winds can lead to toppling.

Kathy is standing in front of the Sentinel Tree outside of the giant forrest museum.  The museum details the significance of the big trees and their ecological management.

The General Sherman giant sequoia is the largest living thing on this earth. It stands 275-foot tall.  The trunk weights an estimated 1,385 ton.  If the Sherman tree grew in the middle of the L.A. Freeway it would block three lanes of traffic.  If you laid the tree down on a football field it would extend from one goal line to the opposite nine yard line. 

This is a photo of the base of the General Sherman tree which has a circumference of 103 feet.  If you put the trunk on a scale, it would take more than ten blue whales to balance the scale. 

This photo shows the top of the trees which I had to bend backwards to capture.  Most branches are 8 feet in diameter.

This picture shows us walking up Moro Rock.  Moro Rock is a granite dome with a steep ¼ mile staircase to the summit (300 foot in elevation) and a spectacular view.  There are 400 stairs that lead to the top of the summit at 7625 feet.  The only thing you did not see in this photo is we had to walk the 1.8 mile road to the staircase.  The road was closed to vehicle traffic due to snow plows clearing the road.

This photo is proof that Kathy did indeed make it to the summit.

The soaring peaks of the Great Western Divide separate Sequoia National Park.  The Sierra Crest, which runs along the eastern boundary of the park, includes Mt. Whitney at 14,495 feet, the highest summit in the lower 48 contiguous states.  

This view shows the main road heading up the mountain.  Click on the picture to enlarge and look to the far left you can traffic awaiting its turn to pass through the construction area.

 Here’s a view of the staircase heading back to the parking area.

From this vantage point you catch a glimpse of a mountain wonderland. These Sierra Nevada wild lands contain some of the most speculator scenery on the face of the earth. Jagged peaks drop gently into glacially carved “Yosemite” valleys visited by but a handful of people each year.

 And now for some magic from Kathy.......

Open Sesame!

Close Sesame!  Maybe its not to late to get her on America's Got Talent!