Sunday, September 26, 2010

Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias in Yosemite National Park


On our first day visiting Yosemite National Park located in Northeastern California, we entered The Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoia Trees, near the park's South Entrance. The grove contains about 500 mature giant sequoias. Giant sequoias are perhaps the largest living things on Earth, and may exceed 3,000 years in age!


Almost as soon as my husband and I entered Yosemite we saw this coyote crossing the road.  It was to be one of the few wild animals that we see the next few days, so it was an exciting sight for us to see!


Worth reading, this park placard gives information about the Giant Sequoias and some of the history of their preservation.  (All photos will enlarge if clicked on once, and then click on again when they open in a new page)


The "Fallen Monarch" tree roots. This tree fell more than three hundred years ago. You can see how massive these trees are!


Another view of the "Fallen Monarch."


In this famous 1899 photograph, U. S Cavalry officers on their horses are up on top of the very same "Fallen Monarch" tree. Tannic acid in the wood suppresses the initial growth of fungi and bacteria, essentially arresting decay. Only when rain and melting snow have leached the tannin from the wood can decay begin. Biologists suspect that this tree had been down several hundred years before the Cavalry photograph was taken.  Photo source


The "Bachelor and Three Graces." A group of four trees, three of them growing very close together, with a fourth a little more distant.  It is said that their roots are all so tightly entwined that if one tree should fall, they would probably all fall.


The "Grizzly Giant" is one of the largest trees in the Mariposa Grove and, at an estimated age of 2,700 years, one of the oldest living Sequoias.  It has survived forest fires and many other perils.  The informational placard in the middle of this photo mosaic shows it's size in relation to other well known objects.


A cute squirrel we saw along the grove's hiking path.


Some 50 yards beyond the Grizzly Giant is the "California Tunnel Tree," cut in 1895 for stagecoaches. Another tree, the "Wawona Tree," had a tunnel cut through it in the nineteenth century that was wide enough for horse-drawn carriages and early automobiles to drive through. Weakened by the large opening at its base, the tree fell down in a storm in 1969.


The "Faithful Couple" are two large trees which have fused together at their base but remain clearly separated above.


Some beautiful flowers growing in the Mariposa Grove.

In my next blog post I'll show more of Yosemite National park and the spectacular views from Glacier Point!

I'm linking with Mary at The Little Red House for "Mosaic Monday." Click on the link to enjoy her beautiful mosaic and to find the links to all the blogs participating today!





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49 comments:

Vee said...

Your photography is always stellar. My two favorites are of your hubby by the fallen tree and the squirrel. As for the sequoias...they are so incredibly awesome that I'm sure actually seeing one would make me gasp. My history book or science book had that photo of the cavalry and so this gave me a little jolt back in time. Fun to see the photo again. And I remember that there was a pathway through a tree, but didn't know that it fell and so long ago.

Melissa said...

Wow, you had an amazing trip. I've really enjoyed all of your photos!

Carol said...

I've enjoyed this post, Pat, such amazing wonders, those trees are awesome and really majestic! You had such a fantastic trip!

~Cheryl said...

Those trees are truly amazing, and your post is wonderful! Thank you for bringing back some fond memories.

A Garden of Threads said...

Great post, I learned so much information on the sequoia tree. Thank you for sharing and take care.

Sheila said...

Pat, I really enjoyed this leg of your summer vacation. You know the old saying - "Take me along in your back pocket" - well I believe you have taken us along. Your summer vacation must have been wonderful.

Sarah said...

Pat, each time I see photos of these incredible sequoias I'm in awe. To stand under one of these is an amazing experience. Thank you for taking us along to Yosemite. After viewing all your trip photos, I think my husband and I should plan a return to California. :-)
Thanks for always sharing so generously. ~ Sarah

Kat said...

What a wonderful post. Those trees are truly awe inspiring. What an incredible sight. It's almost impossible to imagine the scale, thanks for sharing the "grizzly" placard. I'm having so much fun on my virtual California vacation, you are a fantastic tour guide! Kat

Blooming Rose Musings said...

Again, absolutely stunning photos and post! I love the photo of your husband by the fallen tree. They really are amazing and they really make us realize how old this planet really is. Just amazing! I know I sound like a tape recorder but...Thank you again for always sharing your photos and posts with us. Magnificent!

dianasfaria.com said...

wow! you certainly saw so much while there. I'd love to experience this in person. wonderful job Pat!
Thanks for sharing.

Cheryl D. said...

Very beautiful! I live in California, but have never been to Yosemite!

Coyotes I do happen to see a lot of (or hear them kill the occasional poor animal in our backyard during the middle of the night). They're the main reason I don't let my daughter play on her own in our backyard--not even for a minute.

Ingmarie We said...

Fantastic photos. You must have had s wonderful trip. Very interesting to learn about the park and the trees.

Ingmarie We said...

Fantastic photos. You must have had s wonderful trip. Very interesting to learn about the park and the trees.

Ginny Hartzler said...

Oh, my!! I don't know which of the pictures is more amazing!! The two fused trees, the downed roots, wow!! They should NOT have carved a hole in that tree to travel through!!! You have gotten some wonderful perspectives from so many good angles, I had no idea about most of this! It's funny, because my husband saw the giant Redwoods, and just recently someone was talking about these trees and saying they were just as big, but I had no idea they were the biggest things on earth, amazing. Can't wait for your next post!

Ginny Hartzler said...

Oh, my!! I don't know which of the pictures is more amazing!! The two fused trees, the downed roots, wow!! They should NOT have carved a hole in that tree to travel through!!! You have gotten some wonderful perspectives from so many good angles, I had no idea about most of this! It's funny, because my husband saw the giant Redwoods, and just recently someone was talking about these trees and saying they were just as big, but I had no idea they were the biggest things on earth, amazing. Can't wait for your next post!

RoeH said...

I can't imagine what the sound of that tree falling down 300 years ago was. I've been up there a few times and your pictures still leave me in awe.

People Who Know Me Would Say: said...

What fabulous photos, Pat. Isn't is amazing that these sequoias aren't the 8th wonder of the world?

Pondside said...

They are humbling aren't they?....mythical, almost. The photo of the cavalry is quite amazing, and then to see your husband dwarfed by the root puts it into modern perspective. Great photos!

Mary said...

I so enjoy travelling with you! I've never visited Yosemite~ the sequoias are amazing...I'm fascinated by the Tunnel Tree, I'm surprised it would survive with an opening carved of that size! Thanks for the tour, I look forward to seeing more :-)

A Bit of the Blarney said...

You offer us such wonderful pictures on your journeys...Thank you! Cathy

Gracie said...

I'va always liked sequoias, they give me a sense of strenght and eternity.....Thanks for share and I'll looking for your next post to see more.

Gardening in a Sandbox said...

Massive but beautiful trees. May they always be preserved. Thanks for sharing them with us.

diane b said...

They are amazing trees. So huge and so old. This is another place on my bucket list. I love the shot of the musician and the tree root,. It is interesting how they don't rot even after hundreds of years.

CatHerder said...

omg..that is SO AWESOME...i remember the first time i saw a pic of a redwood, was in National Geographic when i was a little girl in the 60's..i have always wanted to drive through one of those lol..maybe some day! great pics as usual

Lisa@GrandmasBriefs said...

Wow! That "Fallen Monarch" photo is absolutely incredible! Makes one feel small in so many ways. We forget about the magnitude of nature. I was a little perplexed by the blue belt in one of the first photos. Play on words? There to show the related artistry in the belt? I couldn't find info in the text. A beautiful belt just the same. :)

Pat @ Mille Fiori Favoriti said...

Lisa (Grandma's Briefs) the blue belt that you see in that info placard is explained to be part of the National Park's uniform and it contains the imprint of the sequoia pine cone.

It is probably a black colored belt but looks blue tinged in my photo for some reason.

Pat @ Mille Fiori Favoriti said...

Cat Hearder these are Sequoia Trees! They are differnt from the redwoods but just as beautiful!

Sciarada said...

Buongiorno Pat, I am captivated in front of such beauty!

Rajesh said...

Beautiful National Park. Definitely worth the tour.

Sara at Come Away With Me said...

Aren't the redwoods stunning? (I always thought the Sequoias were a type of redwood?) But whatever they are, they are amazing indeed. I have walked that very same path through the trees and loved every second.

Donna said...

Wow, unbelievable, Pat! The trees are amazing! What great photos. I never visited there when we were in Calif. Wish we would have.

Hugs,
Donna

~Lavender Dreamer~ said...

What a beautiful day you had...and amazing sites! Love the way you've displayed the photos! Very nice! ♥

bj said...

Beautiful photos of beautiful subjects..
xo bj

Betsy Banks Adams said...

Oh Pat, I'd love to see those sequoias sometime. They are totally awesome... The one that fell is amazing--just seeing how HUGE those trees are... Thanks for sharing your pictures... Maybe someday we'll get out there.

I also caught up with your other post talking about the Bottega Restaurant... Looks like you all had one of the best meals of your lives there. WOW---I'm so jealous.

Thanks again.
Hugs,
Betsy

Old Kitty said...

Oh Pat!! I have no idea how to pronounce Sequoias but by golly they're beautiful!!! Aren't they just beautiful??

Thank you Mr Clark and Mr Mann and Pres. Lincoln for saving these stately beauties!! It's fascinating that given their height they were regarded as hoaxes by the 19th century. These trees must have been so decimated by then!! I love how a few good people could make such an everlasting influence, thank goodness! I hope these trees continue to live out in peace.

I just adore the names given to some of these - the Fallen Monarch, Bachelor and Three Graces, Grizzly Giant and Faithful Couple. Long may they last.

And yay for cayotes and squirrels - you can't have a forest without wild animals too!

Thank you so much for these amazing pics and info - take care
x

La Petite Gallery said...

Looking at these magnificent trees, had to be a religious
experience. It would make me
feel rather insignificent


yvonne

eileeninmd said...

Wonderful post, I just love these BIG trees. The Calvary photo and your newer one is fantastic. Yosemite is a great park to visit.

GailO said...

Someday I will have to find and scan the old slides I have of my road trip with Mr O to the Sequoia National Forest in the 70's ...no one looks at slides anymore do they?! Love this look at your trip!

Naturegirl said...

Spectacular views from Yosemite!
Those trees are awesome! I can just imagine the wonder and amazement as you walked about touching these age old trees!!!!
Did you hug the trees? I always do when I am in the presence of a "special tree"!When I was healing from cancer last year I would stand beside and hug a 250 year old Maple and yes her energy allowed me to heal into full remission!May we honor our giants of Nature!
BTW that coyotte looks so thin.
a tree hugger naturegirl

Claudia said...

And this is where the wonderful but misused word "awesome" comes into play. Feel like a blip on the radar next to these but a lucky blip. Your husband by the massive tree roots gave me pause. Something about the strong, huge roots - it tells me something.

Judy said...

Those trees put things in perspective! Amazing. Great photos once again...and there's always a lesson here for us. Thanks!

steviewren said...

Stunning! There are so many things in this country to see that are really amazing.

GratefulPrayerThankfulHeart said...

WOW! What a joy viewing these amazing trees. Neat coyote shot. Thanks for sharing these incredible photos!

Elettra said...

thanks for these amazing photos of these wonderful places

Linda said...

Beautiful Photos as usual! I love going up to the Redwoods...did you see the giant tree that is carved out and actually has a gift shop in it's base? Incredible!

Trotter said...

Hi Pat! Yosemite is a fabulous park and your pictures show it!!

Blogtrotter Two is almost leaving Costa Smeralda. But still has some new pictures for you to enjoy!!! Drop a line and have a great week!

Annesphamily said...

Your photos are excellent! You really pout your heart and soul into these posts. I am always so happy to stop by here. Thank you Pat. You are one incredible lady. Anne

Anonymous said...

What incredible trees. Just imagine all the history they have witnessed!

Mary said...

Oh Pat I always love coming here -- such beautiful photographs and such interesting and educational content. Thank you so much for sharing your incredible vacation with us at MM. :)

LOVE the photo of the tree roots!