Kim came up for a few days to play as she/Jordan got to see Coastal Redwoods for the first time.
We had worried that we might be impacted by forest fires but it was beautifully free of smoke during our stay at Klamath River RV Park. Our site looked out toward the river and every evening I loved watching the sun set over the water. We didn't use the bathrooms/showers here, but the laundry room was great and we really enjoyed our stay in this clean/well kept up park.
There are three Redwood species - Dawn Redwood (found in a small area of China), Giant Sequoia (found in the Sierra Nevada Mountains) and the Coast Redwood (found in the Northern CA coast/southernmost OR coastal region).
The Coast Redwood is the tallest tree in the world, can reach up to 379 feet high with a diameter of 26 feet and live to more than 2000 years.
Heavy winter rains and fog from the Pacific Ocean keeps the trees continually damp, even during summer droughts.
Fossil evidence suggests that redwoods descended from a group of conifers that thrived across Europe, Asia, and North America when dinosaurs roamed the Earth—in the Jurassic period more than 145 million years ago. As Earth’s climate gradually and generally became cooler and drier, redwoods became restricted to three distinct geographic regions and evolved into the three species we know today.
We hiked several trails in Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park and Redwood National Park and loved both areas. You just can't capture the majesty of the trees as they are so tall you are constantly craning your neck up as well as taking in the breadth of their trunks. It's also incredible to witness the burn marks that are on soooo many of the trees that show the repeated fires they have survived. Many of them have completely charred trunks but when you look up there's tons of green branches thriving! I admit there was a lot of tree hugging.
More cool Coastal Redwood facts:
In ideal conditions a coast redwood can grow 2-3 feet in height annually, but when the trees are stressed from lack of moisture and sunlight they may grow as little as one inch per year.
These trees have shallow root systems that extend over one hundred feet from the base, intertwining with the roots of other redwoods. This increases their stability during strong winds and floods.
Redwoods are naturally resistant to insects, fungi, and fire because they are high in tannin and do not produce resin or pitch. Their thick, reddish, pithy bark also provides protection and insulation for the tree.
Most redwoods grow more successfully from sprouts that form around the base of a tree, utilizing the nutrients and root system of a mature tree. When the parent tree dies, a new generation of trees rise, creating a circle of trees that are often called fairy rings.
In addition to seeing the incredible trees we also explored some coastal areas with cool wildlife. One day our hiking was filled with a misty ethereal feel due to the cloud cover.
The last day we were there I plopped myself down on the sand and had a great time watching the animals that were busy swimming, sunning, fishing and galumphing on the sand.
Check out all the cool stuff happening in this video!!
I know it must get old, but thank you again for sharing your adventures, thoughts and photos! You guys are now prime to read The Overstory, by Richard Powers. One of my favorite reads from last year. Here is a link. Costal redwoods are a big part of the cast... http://www.richardpowers.net/the-overstory/