Super Trees: Climbing a Giant Sequoia | Nat Geo Live

I had the project to photograph a large

I had the project to photograph a large tree in the coastal redwoods it was a

tree in the coastal redwoods it was a

tree in the coastal redwoods it was a 1500 year old tree and we we needed to

1500 year old tree and we we needed to

1500 year old tree and we we needed to hook the audience about clear-cutting

hook the audience about clear-cutting

hook the audience about clear-cutting about the clearing of all these forests

about the clearing of all these forests

about the clearing of all these forests we needed an incredible picture to do

we needed an incredible picture to do

we needed an incredible picture to do that so I had to figure that out

that so I had to figure that out

that so I had to figure that out and we did figure it out and became a

and we did figure it out and became a

and we did figure it out and became a five-page fold out in the magazine that

five-page fold out in the magazine that

five-page fold out in the magazine that was very powerful in California we have

was very powerful in California we have

was very powerful in California we have the oldest and largest trees on earth

the oldest and largest trees on earth

the oldest and largest trees on earth the tree that I’m about to show you is

the tree that I’m about to show you is

the tree that I’m about to show you is 3,200 years old

3,200 years old

3,200 years old we made it big this big panorama now in

we made it big this big panorama now in

we made it big this big panorama now in the old days you could have never taken

the old days you could have never taken

the old days you could have never taken a piece of one of my photographs and

a piece of one of my photographs and

a piece of one of my photographs and made a cover out of that tiny little

made a cover out of that tiny little

made a cover out of that tiny little spot

spot

spot but if you go back the way when we do

but if you go back the way when we do

but if you go back the way when we do these big pictures we are piecing

these big pictures we are piecing

these big pictures we are piecing together panoramas so that’s three

together panoramas so that’s three

together panoramas so that’s three cameras taking that photo so you’ll

cameras taking that photo so you’ll

cameras taking that photo so you’ll understand it after you see what’s

understand it after you see what’s

understand it after you see what’s coming and our magazine has changed

coming and our magazine has changed

coming and our magazine has changed quite a bit that’s the cover of the

quite a bit that’s the cover of the

quite a bit that’s the cover of the print edition here’s the cover of the

print edition here’s the cover of the

print edition here’s the cover of the iPad edition

now these guys that are working these

now these guys that are working these trees with they are obsessed with these

trees with they are obsessed with these

trees with they are obsessed with these trees so I think it’s the not only the

trees so I think it’s the not only the

trees so I think it’s the not only the largest living thing but the fastest

largest living thing but the fastest

largest living thing but the fastest growing and I think it’s about 3,000

growing and I think it’s about 3,000

growing and I think it’s about 3,000 years old that’s glorious this is what

years old that’s glorious this is what

years old that’s glorious this is what we came for we’ve been preparing eleven

we came for we’ve been preparing eleven

we came for we’ve been preparing eleven days but I don’t know if we can take

days but I don’t know if we can take

days but I don’t know if we can take what we’re gonna get but we ready for

what we’re gonna get but we ready for

what we’re gonna get but we ready for this I went a year ahead and scouted

this I went a year ahead and scouted

this I went a year ahead and scouted this situation and we went back in

this situation and we went back in

this situation and we went back in February and I literally wanted these

February and I literally wanted these

February and I literally wanted these blizzards we wanted this to happen so we

blizzards we wanted this to happen so we

blizzards we wanted this to happen so we can make it a little bit more difficult

yep there’s some gnarly good good

yep there’s some gnarly good good opinion everyone

opinion everyone

opinion everyone hey there first up it’s possible we’re

hey there first up it’s possible we’re

hey there first up it’s possible we’re gonna have whiteout conditions pretty

gonna have whiteout conditions pretty

gonna have whiteout conditions pretty soon yeah yeah I’m going this way

soon yeah yeah I’m going this way

soon yeah yeah I’m going this way yeah he says picking up our a like to

yeah he says picking up our a like to

yeah he says picking up our a like to see it me that’s good

I’m okra yeah nothing but I keep saying

I’m okra yeah nothing but I keep saying you got it all I do here is worry this

you got it all I do here is worry this

you got it all I do here is worry this is I know everybody else is good no

is I know everybody else is good no

is I know everybody else is good no specific jobs then I just worry

that humming is our little gyro that

that humming is our little gyro that we’re moving the can’t you see how the

we’re moving the can’t you see how the

we’re moving the can’t you see how the cameras are moving up we shoot a

cameras are moving up we shoot a

cameras are moving up we shoot a crossbow but to the top of our tree and

crossbow but to the top of our tree and

crossbow but to the top of our tree and the top of another tree and that’s let’s

the top of another tree and that’s let’s

the top of another tree and that’s let’s the cameras drop down in space I find

the cameras drop down in space I find

the cameras drop down in space I find out funny that uh just over a week ago I

out funny that uh just over a week ago I

out funny that uh just over a week ago I was in Costa Rica and 90 degree weather

was in Costa Rica and 90 degree weather

was in Costa Rica and 90 degree weather with you know did it we’re much more

with you know did it we’re much more

with you know did it we’re much more than a t-shirt and now I am 300 feet up

than a t-shirt and now I am 300 feet up

than a t-shirt and now I am 300 feet up and a giant sequoia in the Sierras in

and a giant sequoia in the Sierras in

and a giant sequoia in the Sierras in the middle of a blizzard and dressed

the middle of a blizzard and dressed

the middle of a blizzard and dressed like a piece of candy corn boo boo boo

like a piece of candy corn boo boo boo

like a piece of candy corn boo boo boo this tree is the president tree we

this tree is the president tree we

this tree is the president tree we thought it might be the largest tree on

thought it might be the largest tree on

thought it might be the largest tree on earth so we got permission from the park

earth so we got permission from the park

earth so we got permission from the park to do this and then Steve Sillett who’s

to do this and then Steve Sillett who’s

to do this and then Steve Sillett who’s the character talking he’s going to go

the character talking he’s going to go

the character talking he’s going to go measure it the next summer and measured

measure it the next summer and measured

measure it the next summer and measured every branch every limb every leaf the

every branch every limb every leaf the

every branch every limb every leaf the Steven bet his life that it was going to

Steven bet his life that it was going to

Steven bet his life that it was going to beat the term Sherman tree which is the

beat the term Sherman tree which is the

beat the term Sherman tree which is the acknowledged largest tree on earth the

acknowledged largest tree on earth the

acknowledged largest tree on earth the Sherman tree has a parking lot

Sherman tree has a parking lot

Sherman tree has a parking lot wheelchair access buses drop people off

wheelchair access buses drop people off

wheelchair access buses drop people off the Park Service is like please don’t be

the Park Service is like please don’t be

the Park Service is like please don’t be bigger than this you know gotta build

bigger than this you know gotta build

bigger than this you know gotta build another parking lot so we were close

another parking lot so we were close

another parking lot so we were close close but not the largest tree on earth

close but not the largest tree on earth

close but not the largest tree on earth we don’t care we just the present tree

we don’t care we just the present tree

we don’t care we just the present tree is a spectacular trees behind this

is a spectacular trees behind this

is a spectacular trees behind this stands the the chief sequoia tree you

stands the the chief sequoia tree you

stands the the chief sequoia tree you know it’s just what we’re doing is just

know it’s just what we’re doing is just

know it’s just what we’re doing is just celebrating these giant trees and

celebrating these giant trees and

celebrating these giant trees and they’ve now found a forest with five of

they’ve now found a forest with five of

they’ve now found a forest with five of these it has the most carbon

these it has the most carbon

these it has the most carbon sequesteration on earth in that spot and

sequesteration on earth in that spot and

sequesteration on earth in that spot and they’re all 2,000 years old and you’ll

they’re all 2,000 years old and you’ll

they’re all 2,000 years old and you’ll be able to see this forest instead of a

be able to see this forest instead of a

be able to see this forest instead of a single tree and they would have all been

single tree and they would have all been

single tree and they would have all been cut if we hadn’t made a national park in

cut if we hadn’t made a national park in

cut if we hadn’t made a national park in redwood