Those are impressive, but I think the sequoias are even more so. Largest tree in the world, by volume, is a sequoia.
I've seen the coastal redwoods and they are really big, but the Sequoia's in eastern Ca. seemed bigger. I read somewhere that the redwood get taller, but that's about all. The sequoia are much bigger in diameter, live longer, etc.
Either one is truly something to see.
Oh, you bet, as I mentioned in my op. Very cool, and the Sierras have their own allure. I think the General Sherman tree has a first branch with enough wood in it to build a small house. They get really big around too, not sure of the largest diameter, but usually bigger around than the coastal ones. But the old coastal ones got pretty big too. I've personally stood on stumps over 18' in diameter, I think one was close to 21', that were out in the woods we were working in. And that's not DBH as they had to use jackboards and get well above ground level to be able to get a good cut. Can't imagine what it was like falling them. Or the ones in the Sierra. Both are truly amazing.
Have seen big spruce in AK, big cedar and Doug fir in OR and WA, big hardwoods back east, even some champion juniper around here, but there's something about the light in the coastal redwoods, when you're in a grove of 300'+ trees, not just a few trees but dozens, maybe hundreds that is special. The light in the Giant Sequoias is brighter, the trees aren't as close together, and they don't seem to put out a mist like the coastal ones do. No matter how many times I go there, including working and living among them, I get emotional (please don't hate on me
) when I get in a grove of redwoods.
But, if all one has a chance to see is the Sierra models, by all means don't miss it. Same goes for the spruce, Doug fir, and cedar in other areas of the west.........
Geno
