YOSEMITE & MONO LAKE (Day 9 - part 1)
First thing in the morning, we started the long steep hike down to Tuolumne Grove.
Range of sequoias and their relatives
(left) Light-colored area was their range about 200 million years ago, while the red dots are all that's left today
(right) Some of their current relatives around the world
Giant sequoias trace back to when dinosaurs roamed the earth. They still have lots of relatives around the globe, such as the dawn redwood in China, the summit cedar in Tasmania, and the coast redwood in California and Oregon.
Today, there are only 75 naturally occurring groves of giant sequoias found exclusively in isolated groves on the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada mountains of central California. This is due to specialized growing needs regarding both moisture and fire. Frequent runs are required for the new seeds to take root. It also reduces competing species (such as Douglas fir and Sugar pine), opening up the forest canopy so sunlight can reach the baby trees.
There are three groves of giant sequoias located in Yosemite. Tuolumne Grove contains about 25 mature trees. It was the desire to protect these trees that led to the establishment of Yosemite National Park in 1890.
Locations in Yosemite
The cone of the giant sequoia decorates the hatbands of park rangers.
This trail is part of the historic Big Oak Flat Road. Completed in 1874, this was once a toll road.
(right) Crocker Station, completed in 1887 by Henry Crocker, was an important stopping place.
Steep!
Map of Tuolumne Grove
Giant sequoias can live for over 3,000 years, grow to 300 feet tall, and measure 30 feet around. Eventually they will fall over from their own weight.
Ironic that such massive trees come from such tiny seeds!
They seem like they SHOULD come from this... but this is a from a Sugar pine.
Young trees (up to several hundred years old) have pointed crowns. Older trees (around 1,000 years) get rounded tops. Ancient trees often have dead tops due to repeated lightning strikes.
One could crawl through this tree! (person for scale)
In we go!
Crawling out a side crack
Some fall color
The Dead Giant. In 1878, a tunnel (large enough to drive through) was gouged into a fire-scarred sequoia.
Carved up with graffiti
return • continue
