Author: Anne Nowell

Being in the mountains has many wonderful benefits not the least of which is exposure to the wildlife.  Watching the chipmunks grow from tiny to husky little creatures, in preparation for hibernation, has been a treat! The most famous animal in the Sierra’s is the black bear. All visitors are instructed to store food out of cars and in appropriate boxes at the hiking trials and in the cabins. Here are my photos of the bears I have encountered while hiking.  My sense of them is that they are gentle creatures and want to be left alone to forage. However with the enticing smells of potato chips and cookies they can become excited and therefore more aggressive in the search for food.

I have had several other chances to see bears here in Sequoia Park and I consider it a very real blessing. As I have mentioned in previous posts, to have the opportunity to live in the mountain forests is an extraordinary experience. My wish for all of you is that you will also have this opportunity at some future date.

Bear Hugs All Round !!

Photo Captions:  Click back and forth on photos for a larger view.
#1. Black Bear in the Lodgepole Campground
#2. Same bear. It is unusual for it to be out in the open in mid-day.
#3. Now this bear is lying at the log feeding on bees in the log.
#4. Black Bear in the Big Trees area. Look at the bottom edge of the tree.
#5. Same bear with his back to the camera at the edge of the tree.
#6. The most scary bear of all !!

Sequoia trees are recorded as the largest trees on Earth. These magnificent natural wonders are found ONLY in the Sierra Mountains of California. Elsewhere, there are other gigantic trees known as Redwoods, but the Sequoia grows only in the Sierra Mountains due to specific climate and soil conditions.

The inner core of the tree is protected by the outer layers, therefore, it is possible for a Sequoia to survive fire and other adverse conditions. Indeed, fire is necessary for the sprouting of its seedlings. Research suggests that some Sequoia trees have been growing for over 2000 years.

In the past seven weeks I have hiked among these Giants and can testify to their power and beauty. If trees could talk what stories could be told ? !! Surprisingly most of the other hikers I meet are from other countries.  Please!!  You owe it to yourself and your country to plan a trip to visit these beautiful national heroes!!

Photo Captions:  Please click back and forth for a full view.
#1. At dusk, a charred Sequoia growing on a boulder
#2. Hiking through a Tree Doorway
#3. Friend, Alexis, amid the Giants
#4. Stand of adolescent trees
#5. World’s Largest Tree, General Sherman
#6. Tree and boulder become one!
#7. Heavily burned but still growing
#8. Same tree looking through the burn
#9. Alexis and roots of a fallen tree