Ellen Byron

Big Tree Energy

Hi! Ellen here, on the road from Chicago to L.A. after a lovely day spent at the Midwest Mystery Conference and long weekend in this awesome city where many of hubby Jer’s college friends live. (He went to Marquette in Milwaukee, if you’re wondering, and is from St. Louis. He’s got some serious Midwest bona fides.)

I never intended to be on and off the road all fall, but that’s how things shook out. Last weekend entailed a research trip to the outskirts of Yosemite and Gold Rush Country. The plot for my 3rd Golden Motel Mystery will revolve around Halloween, so I did things like a Haunted railroad trip and a paranormal tour. But I also built in a day to pay homage to the glorious collection of giant sequoias at Calaveras Big Trees State Park.

Giant Sequoias, also known as giant redwoods, are the most massive trees on earth and among earth’s oldest living organisms. The oldest known tree is estimated to be over 3200 years old. They’re native to the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada mountains and I personally never pass up a chance to view these magnificent… beings?

It’s impossible to capture their beauty in photographs. Believe me, I tried. I even took a panoramic shot…

See what I mean?

Jer graciously offered to pose so I could at least show some perspective regarding a tree that was tragically felled.

As with many extraordinary natural wonders, the giant sequoias have taken a beating from humanity. In 1852, it took five men twenty-two days to cut down the tree above. Why did they do it? From the park’s website: “Sections of bark and a portion of its trunk were shipped to San Francisco to be placed on display. Later it was sent around Cape Horn to New York City, where it was considered a ‘humbug’ by many skeptics. The financially unsuccessful showing closed, and while the tree’s artifacts were awaiting shipment to Paris, a fire destroyed the entire exhibit.”

Other trees also met a terrible fate: “Further depredations continued in the North Grove. A magnificent tree named the ‘Mother of the Forest’ was stripped of nearly 60 tons of its bark to a height of 116 feet. The bark was sent to the East Coast and abroad for exhibition.”

The giant sequoias aren’t the only trees on display at the state park. It’s a heady collection of spectacular specimens.

Strolling through the glorious groves of trees made me think about how humanity and Mother Earth are so often at odds, to the utter detriment of humanity. If only those who choose to desecrate nature’s beauty could spend some time communing with it, maybe we’d have less to worry about re: the planet’s future.

When we left the visitor center, we passed this sequoia sapling:

The note says it was planted in 2018, making it six years old. I hope we give this little tree a chance to grow and thrive and outlive us all. May it survive those who don’t respect earth’s natural wonders and someday reach to the heavens like this tree…

Readers, is there a place of natural beauty in your state you want to tell us about?

25 thoughts on “Big Tree Energy”

  1. I first visited the Giant Sequoias in California when I was ten. They are still among of the most awesome things I have ever seen. I’m so glad you got to see them!

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  2. Thanks for sharing these stunning life forms with us, Ellen. A long time ago, my wife and I got to visit Muir Woods just outside of San Francisco. The enormity and beauty of these trees is truly jaw dropping.

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  5. Iiiiiiiiiiiincredible, Ellen!! I have visited Sequoia and Redwood National Parks. These places–and trees–are truly awe-inspiring.

    I’m lucky enough to live smack dab in the midst of natural beauty. It’s hard to choose a favorite, but I do love the ten (or so) mountains we can see from our collective backyard.

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  6. We have a host of gorgeous coastal redwoods in Santa Cruz, but much of the old-growth was, alas, logged back in the day. But for me, the most amazing natural beauty I can think of is the sight of the active volcanoes here on the Big Island. Simply magnificent.

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  7. How beautiful, El! I’d love to see them someday. NH is pretty much known for its beauty, at least in these parts. We have mountains (not huge, but respectable), clean lakes, a gorgeous seascape, tons of trees with gorgeous foliage in the fall and shade in the summer. (I like the Christmas-tree style.) We used to have a beloved 5-layer granite outcropping from a mountain known as the Old Man of the Mountain (he’s on our license plate), but he unfortunately crumbled 20 years ago. Tourists still come to pay their respects and watch a movie of his spectacular and horrifying fall.

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  8. Sequoias are stunning. I’d love to see them in person some day.

    I don’t know there is one single thing in Pennsylvania, but when the fall colors were at their peak, it was stunning her in the Laurel Highlands. I feel fortunate to be able to live here.

    Well, there is that whole “headwaters of the Ohio” thing going on in Pittsburgh. LOL

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  9. thanks Ellen I am horrible with computers my left poi ter finger keeps wiping my reply out after a lot of work bare with please .thank all of you sequoia lovers .I am. Sequoiah man .I have many years invested in growing g giant sequoia in the north east usa.i am still a nursery getting ready to start out first sequoiah forest this far northeast.in us.through many hard lessons I believe my work will pay off .I have adapted giant sequoia to grow in cold climates we are still looking for the best location for this project and other donations if anybody has any ideas or help please let me know .I am the start of your first upper east coast redwood forest thanks again sequoiah man .I will be opening a web site soon so you lovers can watch my progress evolve .thanks any ideas please feel free to let me know .

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  10. There are a couple of giant sequoias growing in Kittery Maine just across the river from Portsmouth shipyard. Some in Massachusetts including one I planted at a friend’s house in Barnstable 30 years ago

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  11. The sequoia photos are stunning! Years ago my brother took me to see them, not sure where (he’s in Palo Alto).

    NYS has some fabulous waterfalls. Niagara, of course, but many more in Ithaca. It’s fun to wander around town to see them.

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  12. Thank you for these gorgeous photos! I love visiting Yosemite National Park and its impressive sequoia trees!! Would you write a cozy mystery that’s set there?

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