REALLY BIG trees w/pics

[Alan in Little Washington]

I just got back from a drive and fly trip to the Pacific Northwest to visit family. Wow, they have some really huge trees out there!!!! My sister lives just outside Olympia, Washington near the Capitol Forest. That area was pretty much cleared of all the big trees in the late 1800's and early 1900's, but has made a great comeback. It is amazing to see the "new" Western Red Cedars, Douglas Fir, and even the Maple and Alder. Some of the "new" stuff must be 36" across, but pales in comparison to the 8' - 10' diameter old growth stumps, some of which have new stuff growing out of it. The canopy was too dense and my camera lens not wide enougth to capture the height of these beasts. Many must have been easily over 100' tall, hardly any taper, and straight as an arrow!!


A picture of 14,000' Mount Rainier taken from near my sister's house:

An attempt to capture the height of one of these trees:

An 8' wide old growth stump with trees and other vegetation growing out of it:

A 6'+ wide stump with a 30" wide new-growth tree growing right out of it.

A 30'+ long X 48"+ diameter section of old felled WRC:

The roots of the new growth capture some of the old stumps and create weird sculpture. Looks like it might reach out and grab me:

 

[cskipper]

Those are amazing. Thanks for sharing.

 

[DaveO]

The Pacific Northwest is an incredible place. Especially around the Olympia National Park. I spent a month backpacking there after college, and in the same trip hiked in sub-alpine, rainforest and beach conditions. I have a client moving to Raleigh from Bainbridge Island, WA. after living there all her life. I seriously wonder why, and feel that she is going to be very disappointed :crybaby2: :crybaby2:

Dave

 

[Alan in Little Washington]

The Pacific Northwest is an incredible place. Especially around the Olympia National Park. I spent a month backpacking there after college, and in the same trip hiked in sub-alpine, rainforest and beach conditions. I have a client moving to Raleigh from Bainbridge Island, WA. after living there all her life. I seriously wonder why, and feel that she is going to be very disappointed :crybaby2: :crybaby2:

Dave

She is probably tired of rusting and would rather tan :-D:-D

 

[sapwood]

Thanks for sharing the pixs Alan :icon_thum
Olympic Peninsula is a wonder to behold. The trees and scenery are awesome. Sure makes me want to go back :crybaby2: Did you go to Hurricane Ridge? Neah Bay (sp?) at northwest tip is cool too . . . moderately long hike, but the vista is awesome. We were able to look down from the ledge and see a gray whale pass below, along with sea lions on nearby rocks and islands.

Did I say I wanna go back :crybaby2::crybaby2:

Roger

 

[oderus1671]

nic pics alan, my wife is originally from that area in WA so she will love your pics when she gets up from her nap! Is this where your originally from as well? Did you get to sample Rainier beer as well on your trip? LOML tells me about it, but have never had the chance to try it. :crybaby2:

 

[Alan in Little Washington]

nic pics alan, my wife is originally from that area in WA so she will love your pics when she gets up from her nap! Is this where your originally from as well? Did you get to sample Rainier beer as well on your trip? LOML tells me about it, but have never had the chance to try it. :crybaby2:

I'm an east coast guy, but spent two tours up at NAS Whidbey Is. in the mid 70's and again in the 80's. My sister who grew up in the midwest, went to school at PLU, interned at Madigan Army Hosp, so wanted to go back there when she retired from the Army. Now she lives outside Olympia.

 

[Steve W]

I remember seeing some huge trees in the Bay Area of CA, too (Big Basin). As an East-Coaster, trees of that size are always impressive!

Isn't there an area in western NC that has some big-uns? I can't recall exactly where.

 

[jglord]

Those old trees must have been gorgeous back in the day. I wonder if they went to build something equally beautiful - I hope they were not taken down and wasted. I guess furniture, homes and heating were all important and worthy of felling such trees.

Thanks for sharing the pictures.

 

[KC7CN]

I am one of the new "out-of-state" members. We currently live in Yakima, Washington, and have a view of Mount Rainier (60 miles NW) and Mount Adams (60 miles SW). We previously lived in Buckley on the west side, 30 miles from Mount Rainier. The mountains are a thing of beauty, and a joy forever!

White Pass is one of Mount Rainier's major passes. Recent rock slides has closed the road! Check out the story in our local newspaper.
http://www.yakima-herald.com/page/dis/289456234160929

Ironically, a friend and I traveled this same road nearly 50 years ago, and had to detour around a boulder that had fallen on the highway; it was bigger than the front end of a 56' Pontiac! Some things never change!

Alan, thanks for sharing the beautiful pictures.

-Don