The "Immortal" Coast Redwood

Avenue of the Giants must-see

by Mario Vaden

 

The Immortal redwood or Immortal Tree, stands next to 28101 Avenue of the Giants, Redcrest, California. I recommend the Immortal redwood as a Must See spot because it is unique, and the gift shop is one of the better ones. The sign provided a height estimate 248 ft. and was estimated at 298 ft. before a lightning strike. I measured it with a laser, October, 2016. The height was 255.56 ft.

The Immortal redwood is next to parking for a nice gift shop, along Avenue of the Giants. The redwood has an informative sign and a plaque on the trunk marking the water level of the 1964 flood. I think stopping to look will help people understand how much water flooded Avenue of the Giants rivers. And not just the rivers like Bull Creek or Eel River, but the land. Some of you already know how much rain it takes to bring a big river's level up to the top of its banks. But to bring that water level much higher, two or more times the width of the river's channel is remarkable.

Various redwoods in the area have discoloration from the flood water and sediments on the lower trunks. I recall a small sign across the highway from Founders Grove also noting the flood water height. Some wavy bark implies a good chance it is a Curly Redwood.

An age estimate is 950 to 1000 yrs. There was also a very old age estimate down south in Muir Woods for one redwood, that eventually proved to be half the imagined age. The widely spread earlier estimate of 1,500 yrs. by scientists was dsplaced by the later research, pin-pointing age at 777 years. Big difference, but both amounted to a very old redwood. For the the Immortal redwood, they could be right, but it's a twin fused stem, and I suspect it's more like 800 yrs.. Either way, it is very old and the educational presentation matters more than the specific age. The story behind the redwood says it survived a fire of 1908, the flood of 1964, loggers ax, and lightning.

It has certainly survived many storms and other floods. But so have other redwoods. And that's why this one set aside as a living museum piece is worth stopping. It helps understand more than just itself.

 

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