Tri úžasné dni v sekvojových lesoch. Škoda že ich ostali už len okolo 5% z celej rozlohy, zbytok padol za obeť pílam, sekerám a ľudskej chamtivosti, arogancii a hlúposti. Ale aspoň tu ešte stále boli tisícročné lesy (kupodivu vyrástli aj bez lesníkov) a stromy tu boli väčšinou okolo 800 rokov staré, ale videli sme aj gigantov viac ako 1500 rokov starých. Podrast tvorili zväčša paprade a čučoriedky, plus mnoho druhov rastlín a húb. Huby boli všade. Nebolo tu tak vlhko ako v Olympiskom dažďovom pralese ale pod stromami bolo neustále chladivé prítmie, lúče svetla si len ťažko hľadali cestu na zem, koruny stromov dosahovali do 100 metrov. A panovalo tu nádherné ticho, pôsobilo ako elixír po tých hlučných cestách. Dva dni sme sa tu len prechádzali a dýchali, videli sme podivuhodných obrov, pamätajúcich ešte úsvit ľudstva, chodili lesmi, ktoré nepoznali dotyk železa a rástli len tak, pre všetkých. Prešli sme kaňon papradí (Fern Canyon), prechádzali sa po padnutých sekvojách, širokých ako mosty, alebo prechádzali skrz ne cez dutiny o málo menších než železničné tunely. Na tretí deň ma už príšerne boleli nohy (chodil som len v sandáloch s “booties“, ktoré mi hnusne otlačili klenbu chodidiel. Ale ono aj tak skoro celý deň pršalo, takže som sa mohol v pohode kurírovať.
Three amazing days in the Redwoods. First day we biked next to Klamath river and then following coast on the old road (with a few tricky holes) to the Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park. First really, really huge and tall trees. We were so tiny to compare with them.
Tree with hollow where we could fit together with our bikes. Biking in this cool, breathing, green cathedral, rays of sunlight shining through light mist and shadows, everything was here so silent and peacefull.
After our fist brief exploration of huge redwoods near the road we camp in the Elk Prairie Campground (with elks walking and sleeping on the near meadow). Quite nice hiker/biker spot with huge food boxes. In the evening we went out to a small hike on local interpretive trail with beautiful giants redwoods.
The next day was whole about hiking. From the camp our footsteps led to the Fern Canyon through spectacular old grow redwood forest. If you would like to experience something exceptional then go to these old redwoods. This was definitely one if the strongest moments on our journey. Amazingly old forest (more than 1500 years) where every second three was about 1000 to 2000 years old and so huge and wide that 10 people wouldn't be able to surround even a half of the trunk.
We walked on the forest floor covered by old needless, trail led us between ferns and berries shrubs, between fallen and decomposing trees, mushrooms were everywhere and the light was soft and green. And everything was absolutely silence, even birds, maybe because it wasn't season or maybe because the trees were so tall that we couldn't hear them (also the thick bark on redwoods absorb sounds very well). The Fern Canyon was also beautiful, vertical walls, about 30 feet tall were covered by Five fingers ferns and looked pretty fuzzy :-). To our camp we returned pretty late, after dark, so finally we had also a night hike. No luck for mountain lion, though.
Next day, more redwoods, this time east side of valley. First we visited the "Big tree", about 1500 years of giant. Then we hiked through another beautiful forests, trail (Rhododendron trail) led us through the bridge from fallen redwood and through gates from trees which were after fires with huge hollows or holes but still alive (except human's chainsaws, there isn't nothing which can do some harm to redwoods).
Third day is raining nearly whole day, my feet really hurt after that two days of hiking, one thing was that we are not very use to walk so much anymore, second reason was, that I was wearing booties, which kept my feet warm, but also weren't very comfortable and nearly destroyed my feet, well, they aren't supposed to be for hiking. So one day off was good.
Pictures:
Welcome in the Redwoods
Is it still tree?
This is how 300 feet tall trees look like.
Fern Canyon
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