The Lumpkin Pumpkins: Damn, that’s huge!

Hello all,

On Saturday, the 9th of July, I went and explored Lumpkin Ridge with Michael Taylor.  We first bushwhacked to his two previous discoveries, the “Lumpkin Lunker” and the “Lumpkin Pumpkin”.  The Pumpkin was the first that we visited.  It is a slow tapering, well formed specimen of a Ponderosa Pine.  DBH is 7.13′, CBH is 22’3″ and the Height on it is 188′.  The volume chart was released by Michael yesterday, and the volume is an astounding 4,277 Cubic Feet!  It is one of the largest Ponderosa Pines alive.

The Lunker is 220′ away.  It is a huge tree with a rotted base.  DBH is 7.36′, CBH is 23’1″ and its’ height is 176′.  The volume is, surprisingly, less than the Pumpkin, reaching 4,096 Cubic Feet.  Still a huge tree.

While measuring the volume on the Lunker, poor Michael was stung several times by a hive of bees.  My recommendation is that he should try some StingStop.

Our last tree was located via Google Earth.  Just in case you were wondering, Google Earth is the best friend of any tree measurer.  It is THE tool.  But I’m getting off target.  Anyway, we located this huge Ponderosa on the edge of an old clearcut.  It has the biggest debris pile I have ever seen on it.  DBH is 8.24′, CBH is 25’11” and the height is conservatively estimated at 190′.  Volume is over 4000 Cubes easy.  8′ Ponderosa are also very rare – only 9 have been measured in the past 30 years!

This area clearly contains some of the largest known pine trees in the world.  I’m excited about the idea of returning.

Photos courtesy of Michael Taylor and myself

 

Duncan