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Old Growth - Two Explorations Fannin and Union Counties, Georgia December 2019 |
All Text & Images: Copyright (2019-2020) |
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Old Growth - Two Explorations Fannin and Union Counties, Georgia December 2019 |
All Text & Images: Copyright (2019-2020) |
| 1 - After visiting a soapstone bowl quarry, my friend Cliff and I explored a deep cove in Fannin County to look for large old growth trees: |
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| A number of big old trees had toppled on the ridge slope. |
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| This Tulip Poplar measured 17 feet in circumference. (Liriodendron tulipifera) |
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| Another view showing more of the trunk. |
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| A huge gall at the base of this tree. |
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| One of several very large Black Walnut (Juglans nigra) trees. |
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| This shot exemplifies the steep terrain we traversed to get down into (and back out of!) this area. |
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| 2 - The following day, Alan Cressler and I visited the Valley of the Giants in Union County to see more big trees. These really must be seen in person; photos just don't convey the size of these massive trees: |
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| Huge Tulip Tree with 20 foot circumference |
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| While this tree has the largest girth of the giants here, its top has blown out, so it is no longer the largest tree by volume. |
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| A burly tree... |
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Some of these big trees have interesting root flares to hold their massive trunks upright. |
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| This 19 foot circumference Tulip Tree is the largest here by volume. |
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| Same tree from upslope; it makes my large pack look tiny... |
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| More examples of large old growth scattered through the area... |
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| Lots of giants here... |
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| A few more big ones... |
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| We found another monster Tulip Tree near the top of the ridge. |
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| It has a very impressive crown. The photo doesn't do it justice. |
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| A hollow tree; we checked for critters inside first... |
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| Yet another impressively sized Tulip Poplar.'' |
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| With an equally impressive crown. |
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| We had spotted this huge hollow tree on our way in, but waited until our return to check it out. |
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| Luckily for Alan, no bears were hanging around inside... |
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| A huge old moss-covered log |
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| One last big Tulip Poplar. This was another we'd passed on our way in but saved it for coming out... |