The ancient tree in the foreground met its demise within a few years of the photograph. When Carleton Watkins revisited the area and photographed it in the 1870's or 80's, it was just a stump. Today there's no evidence it was ever there. Was it blown down in a storm? Used for lumber or firewood for the Railroad camps just below? The scene looks empty without it. Photo location 39° 18.960'N 120° 19.502'W.