S. M. Garver - California Images

California Images - Page 5 of 8

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Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park - Orick, California
July 26, 2012

My automobile beside a redwood on Newtown B. Drury Scenic Parkway
[The redwoods rise several hundred feet above the two lane roadway. My car is partially blocked from view by the trunk of one tree growing at the road side. In this area there is enough open space to see blue sky at the upper levels of the trees.]

Some trees are older and thus have thicker trunks than others. (These are at the edge of the roadway along the scenic parkway.)
[The focal point of this photo is a tree with a very large diameter trunk.]

This is Big Tree. It's 304 feet high, 21.6 feet in diameter, 68 feet in circumference, and estimated to be 1500 years old.
[A very large diameter tree with a wooden viewing platform in front of it.]

Big Tree with a few people in front for size reference
[The lower half of the tree with a man and two kids standing on the platform in front of the tree.]

The next generation - baby coast redwoods
[Four small shoots of redwood trees growing at the base of a mature tree. These are about 18 inches high.]

The base of a distinctive redwood named Corkscrew Tree
[Looking up from the base of what appears to be two trunks with a third one joining the two about 15 feet up. It's all part of one tree.]

A portion of Corkscrew Tree showing how twisted the trunk is.
[Horizontal view of the tree trunk which makes it appear the tree trunk was rubber and one part twisted 180 degrees while the other part was held still.]

Not all trees survive their natural life intact.
[A tree which was snapped apart about 30-40 feet from the base. The bottom of the tree is upright and the top is completely gone.]

Interesting tree stump along the Corkscrew Tree trail
[Beside a 'normal' tree trunk is a partial trunk (top is missing) which appears to have its bark growing in a swirl rather than straight up to the sky. It's almost barrel-shaped.]

Some interesting tree trunks along the scenic parkway
[Two tree trunks which look to have taken lightening strikes. One has a hollow center and the other has outer bark stripped from it in places.]

When a tree falls and other tree grows atop it, the bottom tree is referred to as a nurse log. Nurse logs are common among trees (redwoods and sitkas) growing on the coast.
[Image is the bottom of a tree of which sits atop a fallen log. Parts of the top tree have grown over the dead one.]

Female Small White butterfly (Females have two spots on each wing.)
[Close-up of the butterfly on a leaf. The striped antennas and comparatively large eyes and nose are clearly visible. Two dark spots sit on each wing which identifies this as the female of the species. The rest of the wings and part of the body are white.]

Among the growth under the redwoods
[Orange flower with dark orange spots on the inner parts of the extremely curled petals.]

Lots of clover beneath the redwoods
[Looking straight down at the ground completely covered with clover and a few other green-leafed plants.]

Many ferns also grow beneath the redwoods. The foggy coastal area contains lots of moisture.
[A fallen tree has its top completely covered with ferns. In front of this log are a multitude of ferns so thick you'd have to walk on at least some of them to reach the log.]

The ferns caress all who trek this path.
[A narrow pea-gravel path is partially covered with ferns growing several feet in the air. This area is in a clearing so it is lit by the sun.]

Continue to North-central California coast photos. (page 6 of 8)

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