Big trees! You may think you have seen “big” trees, but words and pictures cannot do these giants justice. I like the phrase they use on the park website: “come feel small in a good way”. Indeed.
Standing in front of a sequoia, you feel an immense awe and reverence for these giants that have lived centuries before you were born and many more after your time has come. The forest is silent; it’s as if these trees command the respect of all that is around them. We learned a great deal toady about how these trees survive in a very specific climate, their reliance upon and subsequent growth after forest fires, and the movement in the late 1800’s to protect these giants from logging and destruction. I could write pages, but I would definitely recommend reading up on their life cycle for 5 minutes. It’s really a fascinating story and a testament to the beauty and genius of Mother Nature.
Our day was not without some level of “excitement”. Living on the east coast, we’re used to limestone caverns, but out in these parts, marble is the cave type of choice. We thought it’d be a cool thing to see Crystal Cave in Sequoia, so upon entering the park, we immediately bought tickets and made the 45 minute twisting descent via car to the cave. Upon arrival, we had to put all food and toiletries in bear boxes in the parking lot, lest they tear into our rental car in search of food. (We saw a black bear amble across the street on the drive down, so we heeded their warning). We then had to hike down a VERY steep path the the entrance to the cave. Sitting at the mouth of the cave, you could feel the 50 degree air sigh out upon you.
Just as we put our jackets on to prepare for the tour, the park ranger starts talking in a concerned tone on her walkie-talkie radio. She then stands up and says “Everyone remain calm. The power is out in the cave due to an electrical fire that is burning near the exit route. We must evacuate immediately. I know it’s a steep hike out, but please go as fast as you can and cover your mouth when you pass so as not to inhale smoke”…and they weren’t kidding; the fire WAS burning right along our exit path. Although bummed we didn’t get to see the cave after all that effort, we did get our money back and it did make for a memorable experience. In the end, I’m glad that our safety is their top priority. No hard feelings there.
We then made the most of our time in the park by seeing the General Sherman tree, the largest living THING on earth (the stats are staggering – look ’em up!), hiking around the “giant grove” in a nice meadow, then hiked up to Moro Rock, for an awesome view of the 14,000 foot peaks in the area. The descent from the park was so steep and filled with switchbacks – we descended 7,000 feet over just a few miles of road. What a day!
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