SEQUOIA TOPPLED

 The Pioneer Cabin Tree

Last weekend, during a violent storm, a famous tree in Northern California was toppled. A giant sequoia tree, known as the Pioneer Cabin, went down faster than Roberto Duran when  he was knocked out by Tommy Hearns (that was the only analogy I could think of).

The massive tree was located in Calaveras Big Tree Park (aptly named) in Calaveras County. It had been hollowed out in the 1880's to allow tourists to pass through it.

 This is what's left of the Pioneer Cabin Tree. Fortunately no one was under it when it toppled.

So, why am I suddenly interested in big trees?

When I was eleven (or twelve) years old, I saw the Pioneer Cabin Tree with my parents when we were on vacation in Northern California.

Unfortunately I can't find a photo of that particular tree but I did find one of another giant redwood, taken during that trip. 

This is my Mom and I standing by the 276 foot tall Chandelier Tree in Leggett, California. This tree was hollowed out in the early 1930's by a man named Charlie Underwood.

 This is the Chandelier Tree as it looks in recent years.

The thing I remember most vividly about our family tree trip is that I happened to get mud on my shoes while looking at the Chandelier Tree. My father went completely ballistic and wouldn't let me get back into the car.

He forced me to get a brush, find some water, and thoroughly scrub my shoes perfectly clean before we could resume the vacation.

That harrowing incident knocked all the fun out of seeing the trees, but it was our typical way of life.

TIMBER!!!

Note:
I've always thought that cutting tunnels through these gorgeous trees is an act of vandalism and seriously weakens their structure. It's very possible that this contributed to the demise of the Pioneer Cabin tree.