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Steve Sillett's Snapshots

  1. lovely ridgetop forest

    lovely ridgetop forest by Steve Sillett from the GigaPan old-growth redwood forest canopy, Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park by Steve Sillett

    In addition to redwood (Sequoia sempervirens), Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) is a major component of the old-growth forests in Redwood National and State Parks. In this view of West Ridge, the two species represent about equal proportions of the canopy. Redwoods are yellow-green.

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  2. Big Tree

    Big Tree by Steve Sillett from the GigaPan 360-degree-view from the upper canopy of an old-growth forest by Steve Sillett

    Here is a view of the famous Big Tree. Note how there appears to be two trees standing side-by-side. These are the crowns of reiterated trunks emerging from the massive, and broken, main trunk of Big Tree. This tree has a parking lot devoted to it and is truly an impressive specimen.

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  3. deeply shaded lower crown

    deeply shaded lower crown by Steve Sillett from the GigaPan old-growth forest canopy, Redwood National and State Parks_8 by Steve Sillett

    Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) is a shade-tolerant species, which serves it well during the winter months.

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  4. dead-topped redwood with huckleberry

    dead-topped redwood with huckleberry by Steve Sillett from the GigaPan old-growth forest canopy, Redwood National and State Parks_6 by Steve Sillett

    Long after the top of an old redwood tree dies, other organisms can thrive upon it, including woody shrubs like this evergreen huckleberry (red leaves).

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  5. dead-topped and live-topped redwoods

    dead-topped and live-topped redwoods by Steve Sillett from the GigaPan old-growth forest canopy, Redwood National and State Parks_5 by Steve Sillett

    Even after their tops die, redwoods continue to thrive. Many spike-topped trees are visible in this panorama, but few, if any

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  6. nearly perfect treetop

    nearly perfect treetop by Steve Sillett from the GigaPan old-growth forest canopy, Redwood National and State Parks_7 by Steve Sillett

    Few old redwood trees retain the conical shape of their youth. This tree has a nearly undamaged upper crown.

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  7. snowy ridge above redwood forest canopy

    snowy ridge above redwood forest canopy by Steve Sillett from the GigaPan old-growth forest canopy, Redwood National and State Parks_4 by Steve Sillett

    I'm not sure if the forest on this ridge has been logged.

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  8. logged forest at the edge of the park

    logged forest at the edge of the park by Steve Sillett from the GigaPan old-growth forest canopy, Redwood National and State Parks_3 by Steve Sillett

    Less than 5% of the original old-growth redwood forest has escaped logging. The much smaller trees in forests regenerating from logging appear in stark contrast to the large trees in the adjacent old-growth forest.

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  9. huge broken limb with epiphytes

    huge broken limb with epiphytes by Steve Sillett from the GigaPan old-growth forest canopy, Redwood National and State Parks_2 by Steve Sillett

    This enormous limb broke many years ago, but the stub remaining is home to an evergreen huckleberry (Vaccinium ovatum) covered with lichens.

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  10. tall conifers near top of ridge

    tall conifers near top of ridge by Steve Sillett from the GigaPan old-growth forest canopy, Redwood National and State Parks_1 by Steve Sillett

    Redwoods dominate most of the forests in Redwood National and State Parks, but other conifers sometimes reach great heights. The Douglas-fir tree in the center of this image is probably over 80 meters tall.

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  11. dead top of gnarly redwood

    dead top of gnarly redwood by Steve Sillett from the GigaPan gnarly upper crown of giant tree by Steve Sillett

    This treetop is no longer safe to climb but there is still quite a bit of living foliage near the top.

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  12. Cameron between trunks

    Cameron between trunks by Steve Sillett from the GigaPan gnarly lower crown of giant tree_1 by Steve Sillett

    Cameron Williams is a research biologist and former graduate student of Steve Sillett. He is an expert climber and frequently assists Sillett in the redwood forest canopy.

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  13. ocean from Trinidad Head, California

    ocean from Trinidad Head, California by Steve Sillett from the GigaPan Pacific Ocean from Trinidad Head, California by Steve Sillett

    Ocean waves don't stitch too well, but the effect is rather interesting.

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  14. fog in world's tallest forest canopy

    fog in world's tallest forest canopy by Steve Sillett from the GigaPan view of old-growth redwood forest canopy along Bull Creek from 330 feet, Humboldt Redwoods State Park by Steve Sillett

    redwoods over 300 feet tall are common in the foggy old-growth forests of northern California

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  15. Trinidad harbor, California

    Trinidad harbor, California by Steve Sillett from the GigaPan Trinidad harbor, California by Steve Sillett

    fishing village on the north coast of California

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  16. giant limb

    giant limb by Steve Sillett from the GigaPan view of giant limb complex in the lower crown of a redwood, Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park by Steve Sillett

    This is one of the biggest limbs ever encountered on a redwood tree.

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