This Giant Sequoia is a favorite of Black Bears in the area. I have been harvesting ladybugs near here for 5 years and every year this tree gets a "beating" or clawing from the local bear population. This area has a heavy black bear population. You can see deep gouges in the tree about 3 to 4 feet above my head. Most of the action is about shoulder high.

About an hour from here is the largest living thing in the World, no not the Sherman Tree, it is the Ghost Tree. The Ghost Tree is mostly a Giant Sequoia of mythic size, nearly half again as large as the Sherman Tree. It is in a very remote area and the US Forest service seems intent on ignoring the fact it is there, hence its name, ghost tree, well that and the history that the forest service staff have had hard time finding from time to time. 

A picture in mountain top bar shows locals with 23  horses standing inside the Ghost Tree, it is hollowed by fire and stands at its base like a giant arch pointing to the Heavens. That would put  it at least 6 times as wide as the tree behind me. Forest service staff once tried to measure its base with a 150 length of rope, and they came up way short. Local hunter/ ranchers have offered a trip to it and I intend to try and get to the Ghost Tree and photograph it later this summer.