Redwood trees are one of the few trees resistant to fire. Not
totally fire-proof, but fire-resistant. The wood has an
extremely high water content, and the bark contains chemicals that
make it resistant to fire, insects and fungi. All this helps the
redwood trees live to an average age of about 700 years. Some
redwoods are over 2,000 years old!
Redwood bark has a fibrous, spongy composition. Colored by
tannins, bitter chemicals found in both bark and wood, its color
ranges from reddish-brown to gray. Its tannin content makes the
bark resistant to fire and attacks by insects and fungi. Bark on
mature trees runs 6 to 12 inches thick, insulating the tree against
fire damage. Repeated hot fires can burn through the bark
eventually exposing heartwood to dry rot and subsequent fires may
hollow out rotted portions, creating the blackened cavities seen
along park trails. These hollowed-out trees are called “goose pens”
because early settlers kept poultry in them.
The cache is within 10 feet of the trail. Use care to replace
the cache exactly as you found it.