Monday, March 31, 2014

Ronald Reagan Memorial Redwood Grove

Ronald Reagan Memorial Grove
 OK all you tree fanatics out there. Here's another redwood to add to your "must see" list. It's the Ronald Reagan Redwood Tree located in the Ronald Reagan Memorial Grove in Arcata, CA. If you recall, Reagan once made the comment that "if you've seen one redwood, you've seen them all," in an effort to sway public opinion towards more logging of the redwood forest. In a tongue in cheek memorial service, a few residents dedicated a grove in Arcata in Reagan's honor back in 1976. It's not really a grove, just one sickly redwood tree located between highway 101 and the off ramp to 14th street.
Ronald Reagan Redwood Tree
The tree is still there, greeting travelers and locals alike. After getting a photo of this unique redwood grove, be sure to stop in town and shop local!

Sunday, March 30, 2014

Grizzly Creek Redwoods State Park



Massive tree and massive limb growing off the upper right.
Beautiful green carpet of redwood sorrel.
51 foot 4 in cbh redwood Titan
Highway 36
Van Duzen River
Spent a little time walking around a section of Grizzly Creek Redwoods State Park yesterday. The place is areal gem. Van Duzen River was running high and fast as we have had a lot of rain the last few days around here. It never ceases to amaze me the contrast between an old growth and a logged area of the redwoods. The power and majesty disappears the moment one leaves the old growth grove and reappears the moment one enters into it....

Sunday, March 23, 2014

Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park

Fantastic canopies of the old redwoods


A tremendous burled redwood
Fascinating canopy structure
I spent the day in Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park yesterday and some time in Redwood National Park. It was a sunny day, cold in the morning, and then warmer in the afternoon. It was another memorable day as I was able to locate a few trees that I've wondered about for a couple years now. What a strangely fulfilling journey this redwood exploration has become...

Friday, March 14, 2014

Extremely Rare Chimeric Albino Redwood Tree Scheduled to be Felled

A very, very special redwood albino is threatened to be cut in Cotati, CA. Please read and share. You can also join the Save the Rare Cotati Chimeric Albino Redwood Tree Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/cotatiredwood


Sunday, March 9, 2014

Prairie Creek State Park

 Another epic day exploring Prairie Creek State Park. I spent the day exploring a couple of different locations and allowed myself to simply get lost for a while. I felt more comfortable this time as I had my GPS and maps which made it possible to do some bushwhacking. If there was ever a day I thought I might cross paths with a Sasquatch or a redwood mountain lion, this was the one.
 There are forest giants everywhere it seems. In fact, I'm having a hard time making sense of this forest. I'd like to do more tape measure circumferences to get a handle on the large beasts of the forest, but I just don't feel right doing it here. Unlike many trees in HRSP or places south, these trees are covered with an assortment of plant and tree life, and simply wrapping a measuring tape around the base would be really destructive, especially one by myself. Not only that, many of the trees here have so much activity occurring around the base, it doesn't seem possible to get an accurate measurement. So, I'm left to spot the titans, and simply take their pictures and leave wondering. And that's fine be me.
Beautiful canopy structure of a tall redwood. Several reiterated trunks.

Overall, I'm beginning to feel more comfortable here and I'm slowly making progress as far as area covered. There is so much out there still, it seems it will take years to carefully see it all. Overall, another exhausting, but rewarding day in the redwoods...

Friday, March 7, 2014

Humboldt Redwoods State Park






A few photos from this week in Humboldt Redwoods State Park. The park impresses me more and more after each visit, despite the relative small size of the acreage of the remaining old growth. Poison oak is beginning to come out, lots of rain falling these days...