California Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) cont'd from MiN

I wanted to show some scale for these giants of the northern California forest but some of these shots don't conform to the agreed upon MiN thread parameters so I'm going to post them here. I tried to describe the enormity of some of these trees in a post on Monday but the shot I posted just looks like any other fallen tree without a familiar size reference.

 

As part of a long-promised road-trip down the Oregon and California Pacific coast last fall I was able to camp for a couple of weeks among these majestic monuments to a long ago world. They range about 450 miles (724 kilometres) along the Pacific Ocean from northern California to British Columbia and now I've traveled the whole length. I'm far more at home in the trees than I will ever be in the desert, something else I learned on this road trip.

 

My time in this forest was entirely overcast so no beautiful blue skies, and instead, constant struggles with exposure but the shots are what they are. Some are 100% crops at ISO 6400 just to help make the point and all are hand held with a 17-35mm zoom on a D800E.

 

Of 20 states driven through, over 7,340 miles (11,800 kilometres), northern California stole a piece of my heart. For the coastline as much as the forest. The next time I'll be on two wheels or at the wheel of something topless. The Pacific Coast Highway is a landscape photographer's dream.

 

 

 

 

 

The ground is littered with golden fronds of various lengths that fell from the trees as I was driving, striking the van with enough force to drown out The Beach Boys and cause me to drive with the wipers on. At one point they were actually blocking much of the light. I scooped up a grocery bag full and the van smelled wonderful for the next month (before reverting back to the sweet scent of wet poodle).

 

 

 

Now this is the tree I referred to in the MiN thread this week. It was previously the largest known tree, or Founder's Tree, before it fell sometime in the '90s. The lady who pointed me in its direction said she was just a child then but remembers the panic that ensued amongst the adults who thought they were experiencing an earthquake. She said the fallen tree took out two others on its way down and the accompanying impact registered a 6.1 on the Richter scale. The sound was like an explosion and was heard 6 miles away.

 

 

This is a 100% crop to demonstrate the height of this log. It is clearly 12 - 14' high and this after it has had 20 years to settle. The hundreds of splinters that can be seen to the left are over 2 storeys from the ground in places resulting from the original collision, some of which can be seen below.

 

 

 

Many of the trees have scorched scars from decades and probably hundreds of years ago, evidence of lightning strikes.

 

 

My understanding is these aren't even the largest of the Sequoia redwoods. The giants are to be found further east at the foot of the Sierra Nevada range, favouring higher altitudes. I can't wait to find out for myself.

 

Please feel free to add to the thread, images or comments.

 

Gup.

the accompanying impact registered a 6.1 on the Richter scale. The sound was like an explosion and was heard 6 miles away.

 

Well, I think that answers the question ! BTW, I hope when you said you'd be driving something 'topless', you meant a convertible vehicle, not your good self sans shirt !

Well, I think that answers the question ! BTW, I hope when you said you'd be driving something 'topless', you meant a convertible vehicle, not your good self sans shirt !

 

Probably both! I'm a sucker for a sunburn.

Gup, let's see some PCH coastal shots as well,

It is a sports car/ motorcycle dream.

Bixby Bridge is iconic from any angle. Hearst Castle is amazing. Try to hit Pt Reyes National sea shore if you can. Real waves unlike our Gulf beaches. Yosemite is a must do. See Ansel Adams store there. Check into their photo walks, really informative on Ansel and the park. See his piano in Ahwahnee Hotel. He was a musician before a photographer. The falls should be incredible with all the snow fall this year, 50 feet in the sierras.

However, don't try to drive down the Big Sur coast right now, or for at least a month. The highway is closed in four locations due to mud slides, see, Highway 1 Conditions in Big Sur, California However, you can still get to Limekiln State Park by way of an alternate route (see the above link), which is a great place to photograph redwoods.

However, don't try to drive down the Big Sur coast right now, or for at least a month. The highway is closed in four locations due to mud slides, see, Highway 1 Conditions in Big Sur, California However, you can still get to Limekiln State Park by way of an alternate route (see the above link), which is a great place to photograph redwoods.

 

The Pfeiffer Canyon Bridge in Big Sur was damaged by the recent heavy rain. It had been demolished and rebuild will take months. Therefore that part of California highway 1 will be closed for that entire time:

California Highway 1 in Big Sur Closure

That's a shame. I guess all the rain received is contributing to these slides which PCH is prone to anyway. If you can reach it, in Julia Pfeiffer Burns state park, McWay falls is one of 2 falls in CA that drop directly into the ocean.