Now, having traveled all over the United States, and seen some very large trees in a lot of places, there's only one place to see trees like this. And for those who have never been, I highly recommend it. Even though they are in California. Yes, OR, WA, BC, AK, ID and MT have some big trees, very big trees, but it's hard to beat these coastal redwoods.

I went to the coast a week or so back and stopped to "visit" a friend who's ashes we may or may not have dusted over the ground here.



Vehicle for scale, and the tree in the parking lot is not particularly large:



Founders Tree, 190.4 feet to the first branch, over 346' tall, 40' in circumference.



What happens when one falls? Kindling?



I believe the split tree was hit by a tree hit by the Dwyerville Giant when it fell in '91. This is the root wad of the Giant, vertical 4x4 post in front of it is about 2.5' tall to give you an idea of scale and it sits 15'-20' in front of the roots, at the edge of the divot caused when it fell.



A little info on the Giant:



I highly recommend getting off the freeway and taking the Avenue of the Giants (old hwy 101) if you want a nice experience while on vacation. The Founders Grove is only one of at least a dozen on that section. There are more big trees to be seen further north along 101 also. Truly a world record place right here in the good ol' US of A, not available anywhere else in the world. The Giant Sequoias in the Sierras are cool too, but don't get as tall as the coastal variety.

Now, go ahead and run down Commiefornia if you must, but our scenic grandeur is second to none...................well perhaps second to Alaska.

Geno

PS, did y'all catch that 190.4 feet to the first branch thing? lotta places don't even have one tree 190.4' tall around. Or even a bldg that tall.

Very cool. Thanks!

A guy could resaw just those splinters on a bandsaw mill and get enough lumber for a small home.

Funny you mention something like that mart. I worked for a timber company there in the 90's and there were folks that secured the rights from them to haul out old cull logs and stumps and cut them into usable boards like grapestakes and shingles. Some of those culls had been laying on the ground for over 100 years and were still sound as redwood is very rot/insect resistant.

If a cull log was long enough, the company still had a mill in operation that could handle old growth and it could be sent there. The new mill couldn't handle anything over 36" diam, was designed strictly for second and third growth wood.

When I was over there I saw the old growth mill was mostly non-operational and used to store some stuff.

Geno

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.

My house, built in 1959, is framed in redwood. Instead of plywood, the subfloor and roof sheathing are redwood planks. Pre-dimensional lumber of course.

Trees cure global warming, plant at will!

Nocal redwoods have their own cocks

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

And it takes a guy with a creepy avatar like yours to notice them.

Geno

Walking through the trails and it's like...looka the dick on that one, braggart

That's the Old Man of the Forest lookin' at you.

Geno

The redwoods will wow ya. They're like seeing the northern lights or the grand canyon for the first time.

Nothing man made there.

Wow, those are big

Birthdays always remind me of the giant redwoods on the West Coast. The way they stand tall and proud, year after year, century after century. Their majestic beauty never fails to take my breath away.

Thank you for planting them.

Visited back in 1985 while I lived in San Diego, the giants are amazing.

Absolutely love those big trees. Spent my early life until 20's in that part of the world. One grandfather was first to drive a Caterpillar up there snaking trees after they were felled. My other grandfather was a logger from age 14 until he retired in early 60's. Just walking back among the trees around noon with shafts of light streaming down and the mist in the air. The smell of rotting wood and the giant ferns are fantastic. Add in the mystical blacktail moving like a ghost amongst the woods. Wonderful place. Have travelled much of the world and nothing is like this area. Thanks for posting.

Geno-
U have a date in SF?

you funny, not funny haha, but funny anyway

Nope, had to go to Humboldt county to pick up "something".

Geno

PS, that something was a very large anvil I left there in 1999.

PPS, I left the other stuff there over 30 years ago and don't intend to pick any more up, even though it's now "legal".

I think seeing the Redwoods and sequoias is about the only reason I’d like to go to CA.

Your Mary j secret is safe.

Well, there's Death Valley, Yosemite, the NW Coast, Monterey Bay aquarium, Mt Whitney (the highest place in the lower 48) and for those who like country music..............................................








Bakersfield!

Geno

PS, Forestiere Gardens in Fresno is pretty cool too, if one wants to see what dogged determination and time will build.

https://www.undergroundgardens.com/

I’m sorry, that was small minded of me. Sounds like some great stuff to check out.

I saw them when I was 14, would like to go again. They are unbelievable

Some of the stumps were so big people used to build houses in them, came across this article a few weeks ago. Pretty damn cool. story

Geno,

I really like this guys pics. He's photographed all the know largest Redwoods in the World.

http://www.mdvaden.com/grove_of_titans.shtml

Including this monster known Juggernaut or Spartan.

Looks like decadent timber to me. Ought to log them bastards off long ago.

A fellow I visit with is very big into the Redwoods.


Gerald Beranek. The way he talks about those trees makes even a big sky guy like me want to see them.


Scare the hell out of me I suppose.

Been down in that country twice, and it's a near religious experience to walk among those giants. If one were to drop one, folks a hundred yards away better be on the run. There is simply no way one can do justice to them with a camera.

After my first visit, I realized I need a substantially larger chainsaw.

They attain most of their height in the first hundred years or so. After that, it's simply a bulking up process.

Sequoias get their volume via butt swell while the redwoods are pretty much straight pipes.

I believe the tallest tree ever recorded though was a Doug fir up in BC. Unfortunately it was cut.

Those were some tough and smart people that historically hauled that stuff out of the woods.

Get down that way in September, and there are some very majestic elk to see as well.

The tallest trees, the largest trees by volume/weight and the oldest living things on the planet are all found in CA.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyperion_(tree)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bristlecone_pine

Yep. Nancy Pelosi. Oh, you meant the Bristlecone Pines in the White Mtn. range in Ca. Sorry.

Real life LOL'd on that one.

Apology accepted....................................


we have some pretty good folks here too...............some even live in large Metro areas...........................but I avoid them,( the Metros, not the people) unless absolutely necessary.

And the unfortunate thing for many visitors, unless driving in from out of state they usually have to fly into one of the larger cities and deal with traffic, crime, city life, etc before getting out to the real California. So in a way you're right about not wanting to visit this crazy state.

Geno

My brother is planting those trees here in the NC mountains. I have helped him plant several dozen of these trees. He is the founder of the Carolina Redwood Society.
He has grown some from seeds, and has bought some little 12 inch trees. So far, his biggest tree is 12 feet high.
Some day, fifty years from now, somebody is going to notice "the 150 foot tall pine tree" and start asking some questions, probably send a picture to a biologist at the University. I would like to hear that conversation.

My entire house is framed in old growth redwood. From the foundation timbers to the roof decking and wood slat floors.

That is some seriously cool wood, eh?

Have you ever seen a clean enough end cut to count growth rings per inch? Some of that old stuff is really tight grained.

Geno

Geno......if you haven't already and want to see an amazing use of those giants as well as some interesting history take a trip to Scotty's castle in Death Valley.

Driven through parts of Death Valley a time or two but never seen Scotty's. Thanks for the recommendation. Maybe I'll make a trip down there some winter as I miss the "real" desert. This high desert stuff has way too many plants growing.

Geno

I was a kid in the 60s and we DID the Redwoods, Sequoias, and Yosemite. (also Yellowstone)

I have old 8mm video footage but also VIVID memories. "Trees" really doesn't do them justice. GIANTS is closer.

If you haven't been, Make Every Effort to go.