Great Day in Humboldt Redwoods State Park

I spent the day yesterday exploring another area of Humboldt Redwoods State Park that I've wondered about for some time. As usual, the park continues to surprise and impress, especially off the beaten path. Just a few observations: The Eel River is very shallow this time of year, ankle deep in many places, and warm. There still seem to be swim holes that have enough water for a good day of swimming. Many albino redwoods in the park are looking fantastic right now, lots of fresh sprouts. I'm wondering if August is the peak month for viewing them. Some of the Maple leaves are beginning to turn yellow. Humboldt Redwoods State Park seems to enjoy day after day of summer sunshine. The marine layer continues to dissipate just before the park if traveling from the north. Also many tourists continue to travel through right now. The Visitor Center looked really busy yesterday...

Secrets of the Oak Woodlands

My Naturalist friend Kate Marianchild of Ukiah, CA was just featured in Bay Nature Magazine. There is a great interview of her journey discovering the secrets of the California Oak Woodland ecosystem over the last decade. I had the pleasure to join her on several hikes and hear countless fascinating stories about the plants and animals in the Oak Woodlands when I used to live in Ukiah. She just finished writing a book as well. Check the link for the interview and book details!

Grizzly Creek Redwoods State Park

I visited Grizzly Creek Redwoods State Park for a couple hours Monday afternoon. Grizzly Creek is one of those places you wish could just stretch on forever, but sadly does not. I still find it shocking at times what we have done to our forests...

Bushwhacking in Prairie Creek

John Montague and "The Bar-keep" 

I have done 99% of my redwood exploring solo, so I was excited to have the opportunity to do some redwood exploring with John Montague yesterday in Prairie Creek. John has a passion for redwoods, and for exploring deep into unexplored territory. He recently found the largest known single stem redwood known to exist at breast height, just a couple months ago.

We were looking for big trees, albinos, and tall redwoods and Doug firs. Measuring tall trees is something I rarely do, so it was fascinating watching John calculate and measure a few tall trees. I've often wandered the groves wondering how in the world guys like Michael Taylor or Chris Atkins have successfully measured the heights of the redwoods. John paid very close attention to detail and often would have to bushwhack up and down steep terrain just to make a few measurements. Fascinating stuff.

We also ventured deep into the forest and found a few large, undocumented trees, including my first encounter with a tree with a circumference over 70 feet. Above is a picture of one of the trees we found yesterday in the 50 foot circumference range that John named the "Bar-keep."

Overall, it was a full and rewarding day in the woods. Expect to hear more inspiring discoveries from the forests from John...

Cotati Redwood Uprooted to Safety

The Cotati albino redwood has been saved! Let's hope it does well in it's new home...

Subtle Changes in the Redwood Forest

Changes seem to be very subtle in the redwood forest. Perhaps I don't have the eye to see them very well, but for the most part, the forest often looks the same week after week. There are times when I am struck with the realization that certain trees have been growing in the same spot for over a thousand years. How can that be?! It can be mind boggling in the fast paced, ever changing world we live in right now.

The groves have been smokey this week in HRSP due to fires in forests well to the south...

Lost Man Creek

Did some hiking and exploring around Lost Man Creek today. The one thing that really struck me again today was how dense and infinite this forest can seem at times and just how difficult and exhausting it is to travel around in it. I want to give thanks to forest defenders past, present, and future. It makes me happy to know that it may take a lifetime to really intimately explore what remains of the old growth redwoods and there are so many spots I know I never will see.