Towering might.
The giant sequoia that grow here at elevations of 5-7,000 feet are the oldest known living things, with ages up to 3,200 years. A half-day drive from San Francisco, these adjacent national parks are less favored by tourists than Yosemite, which is all the better. However, quite why many parents see fit to bring their infants remains a mystery – their children would be safer at home and certainly cannot comprehend what is on view here. And their incessant screaming hardly helps with the spirit of place.
I spent a couple of days there with my son, staying at the only game in town – the Wuksachi Lodge – and we had a great time in the 50F daytime crisp weather. At this time of the year several roads remain closed but the major throughway – The Generals’ Highway – was clear with no snow in sight.
Winston atop the 6,725 ft Moro Rock overlooking the Great Western Divide.
The thin air at this altitude makes for a solid workout on the way up.
Sunning among the giants.
Fallen giant. Beetles have created an abstract art form.
The General Sherman tree showing fire damage to the bark from hundreds of years ago.
A youngster at 2,200 years or so, the Sherman in Sequoia NP is 25 feet in diameter and weighs over 2,000 tons.
We enjoyed picture perfect weather.
Many sequoias grow in close proximity to one another.
Thick bark confers fire resistance and high tannin content prevents disease.
Siamese twins.
The Generals’ Highway runs through the parks – a miracle of roadbuilding.
The light snow cover on the peaks testifies to California’s drought.
Instead of building a water pipeline from nearby Canada, our politicians – devoid of imagination or business acumen – are enforcing conservation.
Death from toppling over is the major cause of the giants’ demise, owing to the shallow root structure.
The 1,700 year old General Grant tree in King’s Canyon – sequoias routinely shed branches as they grow.
All snaps taken by my son Winston on his Panasonic LX100 except for the first, taken by me on an iPhone 6.
Big boys:
Local roads:
If you enjoy a nice drive the route below is recommended – it goes through both parks and skirts their west side along Dry Creek Drive (a B road, but drivable) via Three Rivers in the south-west corner, as beautiful a loop as you could hope for, and mostly deserted on the weekday we did it. The pointer denotes the Wuksachi Lodge – maybe the most overpriced motel in America:
Click the image for route details.
Bikers should check out The Mountain House in a lovely location where Dry Creek Drive and Highway 245 meet.