Next - found Atlas Grove redwoods / Iluvatar

16 years ago

Regulars here probably saw the post I started earlier about locating the Grove of Titans.

After more weeks of research, and repeat exploring in Prarie Creek redwoods, I finally found Atlas Grove as well.

Iluvatar in the grove, and second largest known redwood, is as cool looking as described in The Wild Trees book. In fact, Iluvatar is such a unique looking redwood, that I'm not sure what part of a photo would be good to put online. For now, I only uploaded a short section of trunk and foliage in reference to how it's upper trunk get larger.

My Grove of Titans page was already linked in this topic near 4th reply:

Garden Web Topic: Grove of Titans

I'm starting to add links on that page to Dr. Sillett's gallery. And there is a marvelous photo from another link of Steve Sillett suspended in a redwood called Poseidon above a fern mat that is supposed to be one of the largest in the world. It's a really cool image. Link is provided for that too.

The past month's experiment has been assembling some vertical panorama photo stitches. It's about the only way to store large vertical views with a big file, versus just turning the camera sideways. So a #2 redwood album was started for those. If someone had a class project or something, I have .jpg files for images up to 3400 pixels wide and 6000 pixels high, if requested. Most on the album are smaller.

I made .tiff files for all of them too, but those tiff images are near 55 megabytes each.

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Comments (7)

bengz6westmd
16 years ago
It's fascinating. Too bad Iluvatar can't be photoed or seen in the open.

Are most of Iluvatar's 220 "stems" in good health?
mdvaden_of_oregon
Original Author
16 years ago
beng...

In general - very good.

The fact that it fused to itself, prompted a statement I found written by the climbing research man, that canopy failure may be nearly impossible at this point in time. Like natural bracing.
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Ready to re-visit the topic. After several visits to the Grove of Titans, and taking a bunch of photos, I discovered that limited views, and photo-stitch vertical panoramas provide a decent means to share the trees without disclosing unpublished clues in surrounding scenery. On the same page as earlier, I added several extra, and taller, images: Grove of Titans Redwoods and Photos A link there, to a Redwood Album #2, has larger sizes of the same images. Of the 100 or so images I took, those are the few that can be shared. I'm standing in most of them for size comparison - the green vest blends in. Last week, I started to migrate to Prairie Creek redwoods. No real rare tree hunt or anything. Just casual strolling and hiking. That park has some awesome redwood trees too.
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We visited Calaveras Big Trees State Park the second week of November. It was a perfect time. They have two groves, the north and south. The north grove has a one mile path next to a parking lot that has marvelous specimens of Giant Sequoia, though not as large as the trees further south in Sequoia National Park. The South grove is a mile from the parking area and it is a 10 mile walk through it. We didn't feel quite up to that, but maybe another time. There is one specimen there that had its bark peeled in about 1859. The bark was sent back east along with a slice of a giant tree for a money making exhibition which flopped. You can still see the hatchet marks where the bark was stripped from the tree. The bark is over 18 inches thick on these big trees. One of the tree stumps from a tree that was cut down in the 1800's was used as a dance hall. The park closes for the season on 11/15. We had never heard of this park and found by visiting it that there are 92 groves on the western face of the Sierra Mountains. A point of interest, the Redwoods along the California Coast are called Coastal Redwoods. The Redwoods on the western face of the Sierra are called Giant Sequoia, even though they are basically the same tree. However, the Sequoia is a larger species than the Redwood. The Sequoias are only on the western face of the Sierras. There is a planted grove of Coastal Redwoods in Brea, in Orange County in Carbon Canyon Park.
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Naturegirl: Excellent planI donÂt think you could do better. Of course you will see the Mariposa grove of sequoias. They are a bit out of the way from the other park attractions, but I would say they are a "MUST." A couple of things to look for: By all means stop to see the "Grizzly Giant" tree. This is one truly spectacular tree and in its way as amazing a giant sequoia as you can see anywhere. The diameter is truly massive, but overall it is technically not one of the largest because it is not so tall as othersÂjust a bit over 200 feet--, but no matter. The crown of this tree is truly grizzled and gnarled, suggesting that has been growing there forever. Depending on how much time you have, a couple of suggestions: Try to see one of the fallen trees. There is one called "The Fallen Monarch," but I canÂt remember how far one has to walk to see it. And since I was last there, the Wawona Tunnel tree has fallen. You might want to make a point of seeing that--it should be right next to the road. One of the finest trees is the Galen Clark treeÂgiven that name because that is supposedly the first tree he saw when he discovered the grove. It is not unusually large, but perfect in its formÂat least the last time I was there. Also, I understand there is a kind of tram ride that has been built. Maybe you could get around more easily that way to see the grove. But anywhere you stand in this grove you will see wonderful trees. And if you see this grove, and Big Basin, you will really have more than just a "taste" of the most amazing trees in the world. I would recommend that you get up early, very earlyÂand get to Yosemite early enough to see the Mariposa grove the first day. Then you would not have to break up your stay in the valley area the next day. Two recommendations: first, for a hike in the valley, the vernal falls trail is nice. I canÂt remember exactly how far it is to get to the top of the falls, but it may not be too far. Some of the other falls in November may not have much water. Bridal Veil may be dry, and Yosemite falls itself will be at a low ebb. But Vernal Falls should still be very nice. Second, Glacier Point should be a must. It is a bit of a drive, but not much walking required once you get there. One bummer for you is the days are so short in Nov. Well, have fun!!
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radagast
16 years ago
Iluvatar - a very appropriate name for such a grand tree!
spruceman
16 years ago
Mr. Vaden:

Thank you so much for posting this information/pictures. Really, really wonderful. I wish I could join you in some of your explorations. I enjoyed hiking in the redwoods many, many years ago and always marvelled at the incredible life force that seems to flow through these trees. The unusual growth forms seem to show a kind of special growth energy and almost a kind of playfulness. There is really nothing like these trees, and it is not just their size that makes them so wonderful.

One time when I was walking on a trail along Prairie Creek I saw a tall redwood with a branch that hung downwards for more than 100 feet--really amazing but not just freakish. It was somehow very, very beautiful.

Well, keep up the explorations, and I, for one, will appreciate everything you can share with us more than I could possibly explain to you. Thanks!

--Spruce
mdvaden_of_oregon
Original Author
16 years ago
spruceman...

Maybe we can someday...

One person I asked about hiking with, is the Arborsculpture man who wrote a book by the same name.

I have not even met him yet. But he happens to be in Williams in the same Applegate Valley we are in, and I emailed him about a potential hike together in the redwoods just to enjoy the forest.

Not sure if I can make it happen this year with a potential move coming, but maybe.

I'd like to meet a few other folks from the forums who enjoy trees, whether this year or several years down the line.

The Olympic National Forest is high on my list of places to explore too.
spruceman
16 years ago
Mr Vaden:

For the forseeable future I may not be able to get away. My wife and I talk often about going back to see the redwoods, but we have some responsibilities here for the time being that make things difficult. And I am not in very good hiking shape either, although for someone almost 70 years old I am in remarkable shape. 10 miles round trip would be OK, anything over rough terrain much further could be a problem. But then I could work myself into better shape. If my situation changes and I can see myself getting out there, I will contact you, at the very least for some advice about where to go and what to see.

Olympic National Forest--or did you mean National Park? Two of my more memorable hikes from long ago were my hikes into the Hoh and Queets river valleys to find the national champion Sitka spruce and Douglas fir trees (at that time). At the time the trails were very small/weakly marked so I felt like I was really in the wilderness. Amazing forests!

--Spruce
jamesbunting_hotmail_com
13 years ago
Photos are available on Google Earth

Here is a link that might be useful: Location of Grove of Titans

Next - found Atlas Grove redwoods / Iluvatar

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bengz6westmd

mdvaden_of_oregon
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Next - found Atlas Grove redwoods / Iluvatar

Comments (7)

bengz6westmd

mdvaden_of_oregonOriginal Author

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radagast

spruceman

mdvaden_of_oregonOriginal Author

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jamesbunting_hotmail_com

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CONNECT WITH US

mdvaden_of_oregon
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mdvaden_of_oregon
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