how to get an entire sequoia into 1 frame...

 

If at first, you don't succeed,

tilt, tilt again.

An imperfect framing job, but it's not the 1st time

I pulled the old tilt-camera move to get

an entire giant sequoia into a frame, esp. w/o traipsing off trail.

This is the Clothespin tree in the Mariposa Grove,

at Yosemite National Park.

The Mariposa Grove and Yosemite Valley were among the 1st 2 pieces of the park set aside for preservation, and pretty much the 1st move to preserve land for what would eventually become the NPS.

This is THE MAN!

Galen Clark, posing in front of the spectacular Grizzly Giant.

Photo circa 1858-1859, by Carleton Watkins.

The Mariposa Grove inspired Galen Clark to traipse around to defend it from logging-crazed men, and he eventually helped get this land protected. How's THAT for a solid accomplishment during one's lifetime? Wow.

IF you don't know anything about Galen Clark,

I heartily encourage you to learn. Pretty amazing story. 

Blurb from Wiki:
"In 1853 at the age of 39, Clark contracted a severe lung infection that was diagnosed as consumption (as tuberculosis was called in his time). Doctors gave him six months to live, as they had no antibiotic treatment at the time, but counseled rest and outdoor air.

"Clark moved to the Wawona, California area as a homesteader. 'I went to the mountains to take my chances of dying or growing better, which I thought were about even.' (Galen Clark, 1856) Upon his discovery of the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias, Galen Clark spent most of his time exploring the area and teaching others about the mysteries of the giant, cinnamon-colored trees."

He guarded Yosemite for the next 24 years.

Apparently, Yosemite cured him.

AND he planted sequoias around where he planned to be buried. When I worked at Yosemite, I was at a meeting where my boss told this story, and he got choked up, I got choked up, etc. You can visit Galen Clark's grave in the old Yosemite Cemetery. And it's ringed by giant sequoias.

Photo by Justin Johnsen

A little thing called the Clark Range, in Yosemite, is named after him, among other things.

The tree I personally find most sort of magical (pardon TOTALLY NON-SCIENTIFIC-OSITY) is the Grizzly Giant. Staring at it makes elves in an enchanted forest seem totally believable. =)

So, these are some important trees, on many levels,

the Sequoiadendron giganteum.

And you've gotta love a park signed into law

by Abraham Lincoln. TOO COOL! =)

We hiked to the museum up the trail, and for some reason, I noticed things there I'd not noticed before (like the metal strip set into the floor that's the radius of a huge sequoia), and now can tell the difference between a cedar and a sequoia by their cute little scale-y "leaves."

Traveling, soon, so may be quiet for a week or so.

Tho' am bringing camera, so at some point

should have goodies to post.

Have a great week!

xoxobb