Farewell to the Calaveras Pioneer Cabin tree

It was a big storm: Historic Pioneer Cabin Tree toppled in California storm

The historic Pioneer Cabin Tree, a former "drive-through" giant sequoia in Calaveras Big Trees State Park in Calaveras County, was felled in California's weekend storms.

The tree was hollowed out in the 1880s to allow tourists to pass through it, and even allowed cars, but more recently has hosted only hikers. It was part of the "Big Trees Trail" at the state park.

Jim Allday of Arnold is a volunteer at the park who was working there Sunday. He said the tree went down about 2 p.m. and "shattered" on impact.

I walked that trail in 2014, and if you ever get to the Sierras, Calaveras Big Trees State Park is a wonderful place.

But we humans should never have done that to that tree.