Wrapping up Durango

[dbhguru]

WNTS-ENTS,

Monica and I will begin packing to leave Colorado for Idaho. I may get one more short tree-hunting foray. But whether I do or don't, the rendezvous was very successful. Here is a summary of significant trees.

Tree Accomplished

Schrater ponderosa pine Remeasured at 160.8 ft in hgt - champ Rocky Mtn ponderosa in Colorado
White Doug fir Remeasured at 158.0 ft in hgt in hgt - champ Rocky Mtn Doug fir in Colorado
Blozan CO blue spruce Remeasured at 156.0 ft in hgt - champ blue spruce in Colorado
Unnamed white fir Remeasured to 117.0 ft in hgt - champ white fir in Colorado
Unnamed Narrow leaf cottonwood Measured to 114.0 ft in hgt - champ narrow leaf in Colorado (West Fork San Juan River)
Unnamed SW white pine Measured to 111.0 ft in hgt - champ SW white pine in Colorado
Vance ponderosa Measured to 16.1 ft in girth - largest I've seen in Rocky Mtns
RBD Englemann spruce Measured to 141.3 ft in hgt - tallest tree in Rocky Mtns at 2 miles above sea level we know of
Unnamed Englemann spruce Measured to 13.3 ft in girth - largest Englemann measured at high altitude (10,600 feet)
Unnamed CO blue spruce Measured to 12.7 ft in girth - largest CO blue measured by an Ent (I think)
CO blue spruce Measured 4 new spruce to over 140 feet in West Fork of San Juan River
Pinyon pines Dated to between 300 and 350 years at Chimney Rock
Significant tall tree sites Increased to 9 sites with trees reaching 140 ft in hgt or more (5 watersheds)
Increased to 3 sites with trees reaching 150 feet in hgt or more
Significant big tree sites Increased to 5 sites with trees reaching girths to 12 feet or more
Bristlecone pines Learned of several sites with bristlecones in the Sangre de Cristo range (will visit next year)

There may be some more significant confirmations, but these are the ones I can think of now. The important confirmation is that the San Juan region of Colorado is a gold mine of tall and big trees for the central and southern Rockies. I don't know what grows in the New Mexico Rockies.

Bob

[edfrank]

Bob,

A very impressive list. Perhaps you can give us an overview of everything in a few weeks after you have had some time to reflect on the events.

Ed

[dbhguru]

Ed,

Yes, I'll be happy to do that. Also, big Don is preparing his thoughts. I expect he'll post in a day or two and Randy has some astounding images. Hopefully, he'll find time to post.

Bob

[Marcboston]

Hey Bob, I know this is an old post but how was Idaho?

[Matt Markworth]

Happy to report the Dick White Doug Fir survived the 416 Fire, and overall Jones Creek fared pretty well.

Dick White Doug Fir, Nov 2019: