Montgomery Woods

 One of the fun and exciting aspects of redwood exploring, is the secret nature of the discoveries. For a layman like me, it can be maddening. Take the Mendocino Tree for example. It was once the record holder for the tallest tree from 1996 to 2000. The tree comes in at 368.1 feet, and I would guess will hit the 370 mark in the near future. The very small group of people who know where this tree is keep a tight, tight lid on its whereabouts for good reason. There is no information that I am aware of that indicates the location of this tree.

 I've been to Montgomery Woods at least a dozen times now, and I'm starting to get to recognize most of the trees individually. I can't for the life of me, tell which trees are the tallest from the ground. I feel like an explorer searching for the ark of the covenant, bordering on obsession. This past week, I just happened to put together a few clues as to where the Mendocino Tree might be. I went to Montgomery Woods yesterday after work giddy with excitement, thinking that I was at last going to figure it out and confirm the location. No such luck! The clues I thought I had in my possession seem to be mostly smoke and mirrors. The Mendocino Tree is out there, but it's any one's guess as to which one it is.

 Again, I am just now, for the first time, seeing the canopies of these magnificent trees. I think visiting this park in the evenings has helped a lot, since the glow of the setting sun reflects off the high canopies like alpine glow in the mountains. Carrying binoculars has helped too. I never thought I'd be one carrying around binoculars on my hikes, but it's been a fantastic addition.

 Many of the trees in the grove are tagged, like the one above. Again, it's any one's guess what the numbers mean. All of the information is probably stored in a computer in an academic office somewhere. As an outsider, I must accept that the information is not for me to know, although it is excruciating.

 By the way, the true defenders of the wilderness were out in full force last night: The buzz of the mosquito in my ears was the soundtrack playing in the background of my mind during the hike. Another fantastic sunset on the way home. I had to return home defeated last night. The mysteries of the forest remain for now, and maybe its better that way.

Michael Nichols: National Geographic Redwood Photograph

Hendy Woods

(New growth on redwood branch)
I visited Hendy Woods today, located in the Anderson Valley along the 128. These are the last of the ancient redwoods that remain growing along the Navarro River as far as I can tell. At 845 acres, its a gem of a park. It costs 8 dollars for day use, a fee I am not used to, but I guess its OK. It's worth it to keep the park open, and to use whatever facilities they offer.

 Hendy Woods is on the California State Park closure list, and was scheduled to close in July.
"What's the current status of the park?" I asked the ranger at the fee booth.
 "We will be open for another year!" The ranger happily answered.
Thanks to donations, Save the Redwoods League, and a newly formed nonprofit organization called Hendy Woods Community Inc., they have raised enough money and recruited enough volunteers to keep the park open. More information can be found here. 

 Even better, Kris Kristofferson will be performing a benefit concert for Hendy Woods on Wednesday, July 8, 2012 at 8pm. I will definitely try to be there. Again, check the link above for more information.

 Overall, it was a great day to be in the redwoods. There were more people visiting this park than I am used to seeing. Several families with young kids enjoying the forest. Also, it was warmer in the forest than I am used to. I could walk around comfortably in a t-shirt.

 One of the great features of this park is the opportunity to enjoy the Navarro River. I walked out onto a sandy beach to eat lunch, and relished the cool breeze, bright sunshine, warm temperatures, and free flowing, shallow water. At one point, a couple of teen-aged girls walked near to where I was sitting and found a good spot to wade into the creek. They saw me, and I saw them, and I continued eating my lunch.
Just then, I heard the mother of one of the girls calling her daughter. The daughter replied,
"What do you want mom, this place is fine!"
"I want you to come back where we are sitting where I can see you," the mother responded.
"This spot is safe mom, the current isn't bad at all!" the daughter protested.
"The current isn't what I am worried about!" the mom explained.
(Oh no, I knew where this was going. Sometimes, it's a tad uncomfortable to be a lone male doing anything involving the outdoors around families.)
"We are fine right here mom!"
"There are a lot of strangers out here!" the mom said. "I can't help you if you get kidnapped!"
At this point, the daughter was still putting up a verbal protest. I had finished my lunch so decided to give the mom some peace of mind by leaving the scene. I can't blame her really, I also feel that humans are the most dangerous animals around. I still felt a tad bummed that we are all so fearful of one another.

 I re-entered the forest and walked down to the Little Hendy Grove. Here I found this wall of wood, growing near the park boundary. Surprisingly, it only had a circumference at breast height of 49 feet 1 in. I have come across singular trees with larger circumferences. Needless to say, this wall of wood was on the thin side.

Overall, another great day. Hendy Woods is worth the visit. The Navarro is fantastic, and the drive is gorgeous as well.

Montgomery Woods

 On my way home from work yesterday, I took the long route home and stopped by Montgomery Woods. I had a couple of hours before the sun went down, and spent that time in "church." There was no one else around the entire evening, and I felt like the luckiest man alive.

 For the first time these last couple of weeks, my eyes have been removed from the ground to appreciating the incredible canopies of these trees. As the sun sets, the tallest trees are lit ablaze. With the help of binoculars, I am able to peer into the tops. Last night, I felt like each step I took was part of these tree's ancient history, for better or worse. With no one else around I had to wonder if this moment in history is still the beginning of modern man's relationship with these forests. 100 years from now, will someone still be able to spend a late afternoon alone with these giants?

 Perhaps so. This morning, I was brewing my coffee, when I realized that the same experience can still be had in the San Gabriel's outside of LA, or even the Verdugo's practically in the heart of the city. I was always amazed that one could step into the back country of one of the world's largest cities and not see a single person. I think many other hikers down there have experienced the same feeling.

After a wonderful evening, I was able to capture a fantastic sunset shining the days last rays over what remains of the coastal redwood range.

Douglas Fir and "Adopt a Tree"

I took a hike in Jackson Demonstration Forest to relocate the large Douglas Fir I found a few weeks ago. After a quick measurement, it had a cbh of 19 feet, 1 in. Pretty large, but not a personal record breaker. A fantastic tree anyhow.

While hiking through the forest, I had to stop and admire several of the old growth trees that have been spared. There is a sense of joy, a sense of satisfaction when looking at an old growth tree. They look complete or something. I can only compare it to looking at a fine piece of art. I had to wonder if it would be possible to find a market for old growth trees, that wouldn't require cutting them down. Being poor and powerless, there is not much someone like me can do to save and protect these old trees. I can take pictures, and rant into the emptiness of the blogisphere, perhaps I can join a tree sit, or donate a few bucks here and there. However, I had to wonder if individual old growth trees could be sold to wealthy collectors, like fine pieces of art. Perhaps an "Adopt a Tree" program could be started, where orphan trees could be purchased and cared for by those who could afford to do so. I don't know the legality behind an idea like this. Is it possible that several hundred crucial old growth trees, or second generation redwoods with potential could be purchased from the logging companies if private citizens wanted to collect them? The "Adopt a Tree" organization could take in depth pictures of the tree for the buyers, perhaps do a scientific overview of each specimen, keep track of their statistics, organize camping trips for the donors to spend time with their tree. Maybe even climb into them. The logging companies would also win because they would  get their money, the environmentalists would win because the old trees would remain, the trees would win because their lives would be spared. Humanity would win because perhaps we could learn to appreciate each tree as a unique individual as well as protect habitat. Now to find a few wealthy donors...

Humboldt Redwoods State Park

 I spent the weekend in Humboldt Redwoods State Park again, to do some more redwood exploring. It was just about one month to the day that I was here last. Once again, some excellent trees were found, and I tried to savor each moment in this superb forest.

 I spent most of yesterday afternoon looking for some of the biggest trees in this particular area. I still find it amazing that on a beautiful sunny weekend, I pretty much have the forest to myself. My eyes are pretty much trained now to spot trees with a cbh of 40 or higher. These are the grandparents of the forest.

 I tend to get the late afternoon blues, whenever or wherever I am hiking. Yesterday was no different, as I wrestled with my mind about whether or not to spend the night. The comforts of home were calling. However, once I got in my car, the thought popped in my head, how many times will you get the chance to sleep under the redwoods? I found a secret spot to park the car, grabbed my backpack and set up a stealth camp. So far, this has always been the better decision.

 It occurred to me, before the sun went down, that it was going to be another dark night. Was it the new moon again? Sure enough, it was the day before the new moon. The forest was going to be pitch black. Frogs kept me company throughout the night. Several would join into chorus for a minute or two and then stop for fifteen minutes or so before starting up again. Just before falling asleep, I heard what sounded like two loud gunshots. I bolted awake to hear the crashing sound of what I think was probably a very large branch falling out of a nearby redwood.

 Thankfully, I was exhausted enough to sleep much better last night than last time. When I awoke, there was no fog, and I grabbed my sleeping bag and pad and found a great spot to stare up into the canopy as the morning sun rays entered the forest. Other than a few whistles from birds, one of the blessings of an old redwood forest is the absence of noise. It was so quiet and wonderful.

After breaking camp, I stopped by one of my favorite sections of forest to commune a bit. I'm in awe of this particular place, the trees are cathedral like. Later in the morning I stopped by the touristy "Giant Tree." This tree is 363 feet tall and with a cbh of 53 feet, 2 in., it is the biggest tree in the park as far as I can tell. Unfortunately, many people have chosen to carve their names and initials into the old beast. It's a good thing that those in the know, keep all the recent tree discoveries secret. I concluded the trip with an excellent breakfast burrito at one of the small cafes in town along the Avenue of the Giants. Can't wait to come back and visit again.

Navarro River

 I had some extra time today to explore some of the second generation redwood forest along the Navarro River. Although the trees are small, the forest seems to be recovering nicely. The forest floor is lush with redwood sorrel. This was a cool spot because it had a nice, small, sandy beach that led out onto the Navarro River.

 Now that the rain has stopped for the time being, the river is taking on that beautiful turquoise color. Even better, I did not see much poison oak along this particular stretch. I found another tick on my body, this time my back, after visiting Montgomery Woods the other evening. I am feeling very paranoid about those hideous insects right now.

Otherwise, a great spot for lunch...