Famous Pioneer Cabin Sequoia Topples from Rain
@DeborahDiane (40296)
Laguna Woods, California
January 9, 2017 7:28pm CST
The photo above of a famous California Giant Sequoia tree was posted on YouTube by Serafy from Australia.
Sadly, this amazing tree, known at the Pioneer Cabin Sequoia, fell over in last night's heavy rainfall in Northern California.
The tree was estimated to be over 1,000 years old. The base of the tree was hollowed out about 140 years ago. Modern environmentalists would never do anything like that, today.
Sequoia trees have shallow roots, compared to their overall size. They can fall over unexpectedly. However, having part of the base of the tree hollowed out probably made it even more vulnerable.
I never saw this tree in person, and now I am sorry I never made the trip.
It is gone, now.
19 people like this
19 responses
@DeborahDiane (40296)
• Laguna Woods, California
12 Jan 17
@JudyEv - I just saw her both today and yesterday. She's been busy, but I think she'll be back. I told her everyone missed her here!
2 people like this
@DeborahDiane (40296)
• Laguna Woods, California
10 Jan 17
@JudyEv - Yes, it was very sad. I wish I had gone to see it while it was still around. I saw @ElizabethWallace today and she said to tell you "hi". She hopes to be back around occasionally in the future.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (340286)
• Rockingham, Australia
11 Jan 17
@DeborahDiane It would be good to see Elizabeth's name popping up again here.
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40296)
• Laguna Woods, California
10 Jan 17
@Hatley - Yes, Northern California got hit pretty hard by the rain. I'm glad you got to see this famous tree. I wish I had gone to see it while it was still around!
@DeborahDiane (40296)
• Laguna Woods, California
17 Feb 17
@TheHorse - Two of my grandchildren saw it last summer. I'm glad they did.
@LadyDuck (471498)
• Switzerland
11 Jan 17
@DeborahDiane I hope it would not happen today, but unfortunately it seems that we are repeating the old mistakes.
2 people like this
@DeborahDiane (40296)
• Laguna Woods, California
12 Jan 17
@LadyDuck - There are still groups of society who simply do not believe it is important to protect the world, as well as the plants and animals on it. I'm afraid our new president is one of those people.
2 people like this
@DeborahDiane (40296)
• Laguna Woods, California
10 Jan 17
@LadyDuck - I agree that it was not a good idea to hollow out the base. It happened 140 years ago. I'm sure it would never happen today!
2 people like this
@MarymargII (12422)
• Toronto, Ontario
10 Jan 17
Wow what a piece of natural history gone- it must have crushed a lot of other things in its path- I'm sure it would have liked to have met you too- Deborah! ha!
2 people like this
@TheHorse (218967)
• Walnut Creek, California
14 Feb 17
@DeborahDiane I wonder how fast or slow a process it was.
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40296)
• Laguna Woods, California
14 Feb 17
@TheHorse - I'm glad no one was standing there when it came down!!
1 person likes this
@crossbones27 (49491)
• Mojave, California
10 Jan 17
That is sad, not many trees left like that or that old around the world. That is like the dinosaurs of trees. Look how big that thing is. I think we will see parts of it on Ebay unfortunately.
2 people like this
@DeborahDiane (40296)
• Laguna Woods, California
10 Jan 17
@crossbones27 - I didn't think about it, but I'm sure you are right that some people will try to sell pieces of it on eBay. It is so sad that it went down.
1 person likes this
@marlina (154131)
• Canada
10 Jan 17
CBC NEWS World Sequoia trees are known as the largest in the world by volume Reuters January 09, 2017 The historic Pioneer Cabin Tree, named for the tunnel that was carved out of its base in the 1880s, came crashing down in Calaveras Big Trees State Park i
1 person likes this
@marlina (154131)
• Canada
11 Jan 17
@DeborahDiane You are very welcome, yes it is very sad.
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40296)
• Laguna Woods, California
10 Jan 17
@marlina - Thanks for sharing this article about the tree. It is so sad that it collapsed in our recent storms. Very tragic.
2 people like this
@DeborahDiane (40296)
• Laguna Woods, California
20 Jan 17
@Tampa_girl7 - When I heard it had fallen, it made me sad, too. Now, we have more rain headed our way. I'm afraid there will be more damage in the coming days.
@moffittjc (121612)
• Gainesville, Florida
11 Jan 17
I have visited that tree in person many, many times, and thankfully I have numerous photos to keep the memory alive! It's so sad that this magnificent tree has fallen over, but I'm surprised that with all the rain California has been getting, that this hasn't happened with more of the giant sequoias. You aren't kidding when you say they have very shallow root systems! I can't believe such shallow roots manage to hold up those massive trees over thousands of years!
Any chance they can save the tree at all? Maybe pick it back up and set it upright and somehow secure it so it doesn't fall over again?
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (121612)
• Gainesville, Florida
15 Jan 17
@DeborahDiane I figured that might be the case. Last time I was out that way, there was another giant sequoia that had fallen, and it had splintered into pieces as well. Somewhere in a box I've got a photo of me standing next to the roots of the big giant that had fallen.
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40296)
• Laguna Woods, California
12 Jan 17
@moffittjc - I've seen photos of the tree after it fell. The fall actually destroyed the tree. There's not enough left to stand up. Parts of it are just big splinters. Its really sad.
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40296)
• Laguna Woods, California
16 Jan 17
@moffittjc - That would be an amazing photo ... standing next to the root ball of a giant sequoia. I was sad to hear that this one had fallen, but I suppose they don't live forever.
2 people like this
@DeborahDiane (40296)
• Laguna Woods, California
6 Oct 17
@Fleura - I always hate to see these old trees die, whether it is because of people, storms or fires. They are such an amazing life force that it is a shame to see it snuffed out.
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40296)
• Laguna Woods, California
14 Feb 17
@TheHorse - My husband and I tried to visit it once, but there was snow on the ground and we couldn't go up that far without chains for our car. We were very disappointed.
@JamesHxstatic (29413)
• Eugene, Oregon
16 Jan 17
I saw it when my daughter and I drove to California when she was 15 and had a learner's driving permit. I let her drive through the tree. I was sad to see the tree go.
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40296)
• Laguna Woods, California
17 Jan 17
@JamesHxstatic - I'm glad you let your daughter drive through the tree. It was an experience which I am sure she will always remember. I was sad to see it go, too.
1 person likes this
@dpk262006 (58676)
• Delhi, India
10 Jan 17
It looks an amazing tree
and people could actually pass underneath it. It is interesting to hear that it was 1000 years old. I am sorry to hear that it fell apart due to heavy rains. As this was a unique tree, you should have tried to see this tree in person, provided it was feasible for you.
and people could actually pass underneath it. It is interesting to hear that it was 1000 years old. I am sorry to hear that it fell apart due to heavy rains. As this was a unique tree, you should have tried to see this tree in person, provided it was feasible for you.1 person likes this
@FayeHazel (40243)
• United States
10 Jan 17
I wonder if they will preserve part of it
1 person likes this
