Road tripping to 13,000 ft to gaze at Bristlecone Pines
We recently took a long tech-break and took a road trip to 13,000 ft elevation to go see the oldest living trees in the world (which lucky for us is only a 5 hour drive!). Bristlecone pine (Pinus longaeva) are a mesmerizing contorted species shaped by the wind, snow, and rain, that grow in high altitude and harsh steep terrain. Their longevity success is a combination of their cold climate that restricts fires from occurring, their dolomite soils that reduces competition from other vegetation as well as limits density of the forest, and their slow growth habits which proves resistance from insects, fungi, rot, and erosion. Actually, slow growth is an understatement, many species only grow 1/100 of an inch a year! It is believed that Clark’s nutcracker (Nucifraga columbiana), is responsible for seed distribution but there is no direct observations reported of the birds foraging on their seeds. The oldest tree confirmed is 4,856 years old, and to be honest pictures, don’t do this habitat justice. In person, the landscape is otherworldly and the trees are awe-inspiring in both appearance and durability.
