The vast Wilderness of Kings Canyon National Park (straight ahead) is said to be the second largest roadless land in the lower 48 states.
The start of almost 400 steps to the top of Moro Rock. The first staircase was wooden. In 1931 this stone staircase was built. Amazing engineering feat, I think.
The top.
The Rock is 4,000 ft. above the Canyon floor.
Boulders were put on the edge of the pathway.
So much easier going down than up!
In front of the Buttress Tree. It fell June 3, 1959. Hasn't decayed very much. It was 272 ft. tall, 20 ft. base diameter, 2,300 yrs. of age when it fell. Shallow roots is often the reason they fall.
Parker Group: Trees named for James Parker (Superintendent) and family who lived here 1893-94.
This tree fell Dec. 4, 1937. It was cut out so vehicles could drive under it but our RV is too tall. The tree had a base of 21 ft. and length of 275 ft.
Amazing color.
Ferns have turned yellow.
Walking in the Giant Forest.
Can you see Phil on the path?
Thayer lived in this cabin from 1861 to 1890.
Part of it is a log.
In the morning we watched a video about bears. In the spring they eat foliage. In the summer they eat bugs. They dig in the decaying trees for bugs. I see the long claws of the bear and how they had a meal of bugs. In the fall they eat nuts. Ah, saw a lot of acorn tops on the path we walked yesterday.
We saw trees that were disintegrating and no doubt the bears were digging for bugs.
Chimney tree did not survive a fire. A Ranger said when they totally burn the noise is so loud.
Sequoia pine cones are the smaller ones in front of cones of a sugar pine.
Saw two young deer near the parking lot.
Thankful for a good zoom lens.
General Sherman is the largest tree by volume. Because the top is dead, the top is no longer growing. But its diameter keeps growing every year. It is 1,385 tons and 1,000 years old.
Traveling through The Giant Forest.
Passing under a fallen tree.
This tree survived a fire because of its thick bark.
It's amazing how the trees can survive this type of burn.
They grow around rocks because their growth is in the diameter.
Amazing.
President Tree.
Phil in front of the Senate Trees.
The House of Representatives Trees.
Continuing to walk through the Giant Trees.
Phil said, hurry take the picture, it's heavy.
Another video we watched this morning was about Controlled Burns. We had seen a posting at the start of the trail that a burn was scheduled today. Here are the workers overseeing the burn.
The fire takes out the unwanted fir trees that grow well in shade and takes out the duff, the accumulation of dried debris on the forest floor. Sequoias are sun loving trees.
Many of the areas of the campgrounds have been closed. We were told to camp in the parking lot of the Lodgepole campgrounds.
Another good sighting of the moon while we enjoyed our campfire.
Location:Sequoias National Park, CA.
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