Sequoias

Last week in the backcountry, astounded by the majesty of the Sequoiadendron giganteum in an area hit hard by 2020’s Castle wildfire.

We all worship at the altar of something, whether it be organized religion, nature, technology, or Soulcycle. I backpack because it’s my connection to the numinous, to the co-existence of complexity and chaos with beauty and order of the natural world.

There’s tremendous intelligence and wisdom within our natural world. The Giant Sequoia co-exists with wildfire destruction - tannic acid in its sap protects its bark from fire damage and its cones take the extreme heat as a signal to release seeds. For comparison’s sake, I burn in sunlight let alone fire.

Nature is worth protecting and investing in. There’s a lot we can learn, if we observe.