Snowshoeing in Sequoia National Park

Last weekend, The Hubby and I visited California's Sequoia National Park, on the western side of the Sierra Nevada.

The park contains the "Giant Forest," home to 5 of the 10 biggest trees on Earth.

These trees are big. Big, big, big!

Giant Forest is also the home to General Sherman, the single biggest living thing (by volume) on the planet. How big is that? The drawing below will give you an idea:

That teeny little scratch between the Sequoia and the Blue Whale? That's the size of a person.

(This single chunk of tree is about the length of an adult Blue Whale.)

General Sherman is so big, you can only take pictures of it a slice at a time. Here's The Hubby and me, in front of its massive base:

There's just no way of describing how big this thing is. You just have to see it in real life. You'll never forget it.

We visited The General, and many of his compadres, by strapping on some snowshoes and hiking through the snow-covered forest. It is really easy to use snowshoes! I was fine within 30 seconds of walking around. It just takes a little time to put them on, along with the gaiters (to keep your lower legs dry):

Here's The Hubby and me, all suited up and ready for a lovely six-mile hike through one of the most beautiful places on Earth:

I swear we didn't coordinate our outfits; it just happened that way! And now I will be quiet (mostly) and let you enjoy the beauty of Giant Forest:

 

 

 

 

 (A burnt-out Sequoia. Fires are a natural part of the life cycle of these enormous trees.)

  

 

 (Look closely to see the guy at the base of the tree, above.)

 (See the gal at the tree's base?)

 (Black Bear tracks, above and below.)

 

 

 (This is the underside of a giant tree that fell over.)

 (Some smallish mammal made these tracks--Fox? Marten? I don't know.)
 

 

 (Closeups of moss (above) and mushrooms (below) on the fallen giant, above.)

 

 

 

 (The snow cover made it hard to see where the trail went. Thank goodness for topo maps on smart phones!)

 (Giant Sequoias can withstand a lot of burning and still live, like this ski-through beauty, above.)

Our cozy lodge beckoned at the end of a long day:

Putting your feet up and having a drink at the end of the day with friends? Priceless!