Over the last year, we have lost many icons. January is no different. Unfortunately, the Winter rain storms claimed the life of the legendary Pioneer Cabin Tree of Calaveras Big Trees State Park in Arnold, California. On January 8th, storms loosened the soil in the area and the fierce winds contributed to the sequoia tree’s fall. Many may not know about the tree unless they’ve seen it visually. It is the tree with a hole in its trunk big enough to drive through.
The Pioneer Cabin tree was a gem to Northern California. It has been featured in movies and advertisements. The tree was treasured by nature-lovers since its hollowing in the early 1880s. With a height of 280 feet and a hole of diameter of 33 feet, most thought this tree would live for many years to come. At its fall, it was estimated to be over 1,000 years; it lived a long and full cherished life.
Reno’s National Weather Service saw this as a “serious situation” because the giant sequoia tree wasn’t the only thing that was affected by the major floods. The weather has become “a significant threat to life and property as [the area] go through the next couple of days with widespread flooding, continued road closures and high water in low-lying areas." This is the downside to a situation seen as a positive to California’s ever-changing climate. California has been in a severe drought that has affected the lives of millions, but the recent rain has cured much of the devastation. Unfortunately,
we lost a huge icon of Northern California history; but, keep in mind, there is no such thing as a perfect climate.
An Icon Lost