Bob and Pam Nodine: Sequoia National Park

Before we started planning this trip we were under the false assumption that a redwood tree and a Sequoia tree were the same. They are both large trees found in California but the Sequoia only grows in a band along the western slope of the Sierra Nevada Mountains between the elevation of 5000 and 7500 feet. This narrow belt where conditions may be right for these trees is known as the Sequoia Belt. Above 7500 feet the temperature is usually to cold and below 5000 feet the conditions are too dry. The California Coast Redwood only grows in the coastal region of Northern California and grows taller than the Sequoia but the trunk is not as massive as the Sequoia. The Sequoia lives longer and can be over 3000 years old while the Coastal Redwood peaks at around 2000 years. On May 30th we will be at the "Avenue of the Giants" were the Coastal Redwood flourish. Here is a link that compares the Sequoia to the Redwood:

http://www.ohranger.com/sequoia-natl-forest-giant-sequoia/news/2010/sequoias-vs-redwoods-comparing-giant-trees

Yesterday we drove up to Sequoia National Park on a road that put us in mind of Highway 129 between Tennessee and North Carolina known world wide at the "Tail of the Dragon". One notable difference was the road in Sequoia gained more altitude and on the way down was a constant 8% grade.

Looking down from a switchback to previous switchbacks

Looking back at the road

Unlike the drive to Yosemite this drive was beautiful and scenic with many flowers and yucca plants in bloom.

The bloom of a yucca plant

Look close and you will see all the yucca plants along the embankment

Typical roadside flowers

One interesting thing was a portion of the road once went thru a natural rock tunnel but later construction routed the road around the tunnel. The "Tunnel Rock" is now an attraction where everyone stops for a photo.

Notice the double yellow line of the old road

Us at Tunnel Rock

When we reached the area where the General Sherman tree is located it was 45 degrees and the altitude was approximately 7000 feet. The General Sherman tree is claimed to be the largest living thing in the world by mass. There are trees taller and some older but none have the total mass of the General Sherman tree. The top of the Sherman tree is dead so it no longer increases in height but does add mass each year. The Sherman tree is 2200 years old and was almost 200 years old when Christ was born.