- Stopping by Grant's Grove and hiking around to see the General Grant Tree, the third largest tree by volume on earth and the sequoia with the largest diameter on earth. Surprisingly not as old as some of the "smaller" sequoias, it was just a lucky seed that found extra favorable growing conditions to give it a boost.
- Seeing the considerable fire damage that can be done to these great trees, yet they still grow on and thrive.
- Driving into Kings Canyon, following the raging river for miles and miles without seeing a bit of calm, gentle water, and visiting Grizzly Falls. A man there told us that two summers before, he and his family had been able to wade across Kings River. When we were there it raged, deep and blue-white on the other side of the road from the fall. The snow pack in the winter of 2016-17 was 167% higher than average!
- Hiking along Zumwalt Meadow briefly, then turning around because it was so muddy and continuing our hike along the river trail. Again, the power of the river and the volume of the water that poured through it was astounding.
- Luke finding a huge pine cone...a sugar pine cone! It's a much smaller tree, but has a cone 20 times the size of the giant sequoia cone (photo of that in the next post).
- Hearing the loud roar of Roaring River Falls and witnessing its powerful pour!
- Discovering a small shoot off the river where the water pooled and was protected, so it was calm enough to wade and cool down from the warm afternoon.
- Watching the flecks of iron pyrite glisten in the water, wishing it was real gold!
- Finding fun friends to play hide-and-seek with at the campground!
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| It's hard to capture how big they are! |
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| This trunk was once used for a cabin. |
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| Grizzly Falls |
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| High water washout. |
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| This area had evidence of both fire and flash flood--nature at its most violent! |
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| Sugar pine cone. |
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| Roaring River Falls. |
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| The boys played hide and seek with kids from two nearby campsites all evening, but this little girl was Zac's shadow. There was no hiding from her! |
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| Getting ready for bed! |
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