Some may find this of interest. The forest service of yore, would occassionally release information concerning the discovery of extra-ordinary large trees. In 1974, John Bell, Engineer, came across a ponderosa pine deemed a National Champion. The tree located on the Oroville Ranger District of the Plumas National Forest. The statistics: Height 223 feet; Circumference 23 feet, 11 inches and an Average Crown Spread of 68 feet. The American Forestry Association computed a total of 527 points. The previous record was on the Sierra National Forest with a score of 516 points.