The ancient Bristlecone Pines, over 4,000 years old! Imagine the changes on planet Earth in the last 4,000 years. Rather than a Pine forest, it’s a sculpture garden with ancient living wooden sculptures depicting the sinuous curves of a flame. Sometimes a bonfire, or the locks of Medusa jutting out at every angle. I could spend a week with these, if it weren't so cold. But that's where and how they thrive- where others can't, how others can't. when most trees would die if the bark is stripped off, the Bristlecone endures. Large swaths of bark removed by rockfall, snow slide, ice and wind, as much as 90% of the bark can be removed, yet the tree will live on.
This is also one of the places when the photographs fall short of the awe inspired by the grove of trees. The lines, forms and colors of the trees and snags have the patina of weathered barn wood. Seeing them was like watching the flames jump from a bonfire, only frozen in time, paused for you to walk around inspect from different perspectives.
Bristlecone Pine Sculpture
Then on the way back to camp, the sky put on an amazing show for us- just to ensure that I stayed out and froze!
Sunset before our 13 degree night!