Baxters: Sierras Day Three

(Read more about the Bristlecones below)

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From The Sierra Web:

These trees (Pinus longaeva) are the oldest known living trees on earth. Here in the White Mountains, the ancient trees have survived more than 40 centuries, exceeding the age of the oldest Giant Sequoia by 1,500 yrs. Each Bristlecone pine, from young seedling to ancient relic, has an individual character. Young trees are densely clad with glistening needle-covered branches that sway like foxtails in the wind. With their bristled cones dripping pine scented resin on a warm afternoon, they exude all the freshness of youth. As centuries pass and the trees are battered by the elements, they become sculpted into astonishingly beautiful shapes and forms.

These "old age" gnarled Bristlecones command complete attention, for there is a definite emotional impact up on meeting a 4,000 year-old tree. The aged trees tenacity to maintain life is impressive. While most of its wood is dead, growth barely continues through a thin ribbon of bark. When all life finally ceases, the snags stand like elegant ghosts for a thousand years or more. They continue to be polished by wind driven ice and sand. The dense wood is slowly eroding away rather than decaying. Thin clear air and crisp ultraviolet light drench the high altitude and slopes where the Bristlecone Pine makes its home. At this high elevation, one has the impression of a lunar landscape.

The trees manage to survive in the poorly nourished, alkaline soil with a minimum of moisture and a forty-five day growing season. In fact, the trees longevity is linked to these inhospitable conditions. The trees grow very slowly, adding as little as an inch in girth in a hundred years. Those that grow the slowest produce dense, highly resinous wood that is resistant to rot and disease, are of this dedicated scientist.

There are two self-guided nature trails at Schulman Grove. Along the Discovery Walk, the first tree dated at over 4,000 years by Dr. Schulman, is Pine Alpha. The oldest living tree, including the 4,723 year-old Methuselah tree, grow along the Methuselah Trail. There is a visitor center, outdoor display case, picnic area, and toilets. WATER IS NOT AVAILABLE Patriarch Grove is 13 miles farther up the mountain by way of a dirt road. The drive is spectacular with views of great open spaces and colorful ranges.

During the short blooming season, wildflowers crowd the road edges and the rocky soil around the trees. The Patriarch Grove is set within a large open bowl, well exposed to wind and weather. The elements have molded the trees into unusual abstract sculptures. Due to the dramatic setting, the area is a must for photographers. A self-guided trail leads past the Patriarch Tree, the largest Bristlecone Pine in the worl d. There are picnic tables, an outdoor display case, and toilets at the grove.

Another informative website is The Bristlecone Site.