Bristlecones
28 creative works found
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There’s a lot of argument about what is the world’s oldest living creature. I don’t know if these trees really are the oldest, but I like to think they are. Some were just saplings when Moses was wandering around the desert. Bristlecone pines grow where nothing else can. There is no soil. The weather at most times of the year can best be described as grim. They let the wind shape them. But they have adapted and survived, and they cling to what life gave them. Cedar Breaks National Monument, Utah.
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Bristlecone pine grove, Cedar Breaks National Monument, Utah.
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Bristlecone pine, Cedar Breaks National Monument, Utah
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The oldest living organisms on the planet. The oldest one is nearly 4800 years old! These trees live in extremely inhospitable environments. White Mountians, Ca. / ........ / “Please Visit my website www.nitschkephotography.com”http://www.nitschkephotography.com” ........ / All images are © Nolan Nitschke. You may not use this image in any way without written consent from artist. All Rights Reserved.
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One of the oldest living organisms on earth, this Bristlecone Pine stands tall in Yosemite National Park – enduring the harsh elements.
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BRISTLECONE PINE / by Hugh Prestwood Way up in the mountains on the high timber line / There’s a twisted old tree called the Bristlecone Pine / The wind there is bitter, it cuts like a knife / And it keeps that tree holding on for dear life But hold on it does, standing its ground / Standing as empires rise and fall down / When Jesus was gathering lambs to his fold / The tree was already a thousand years old Now the way I have lived there ain’t no way to tell / When I die if I’m going to heaven or hell / So when I’m laid to rest it would suit me just fine / To sleep at the feet of the Bristlecone Pine For as I would slowly return to the earth / What little this body of mine might be worth / Would soon start to nourish the roots of that tree / And it would partake of the essence of me And who knows but that as the centuries turn / A small spark of me might continue to burn / As long as the sun did continue to shine / Down on the limbs of the Bristlecone Pine Now the way I have lived there ain’t no way to tell / When I die if I’m going to heaven or hell / So I’d just as soon serve out eternity’s time / Asleep at the feet of the Bristlecone Pine / Asleep at the feet of the Bristlecone Pine
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From Bristlecone Pine Park in Bishop, California.
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From Bristlecone Pine Park. Near Bishop, California.
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The ancient Bristlecone Pine trees
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High on windswept ridges in the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest in eastern California’s White Mountains live the planet’s oldest known living organisms – the ancient Bristlecone Pines (Pinus longaeva). Some of these trees were already growing when the Egyptians built the pyramids over 4000 years ago. The oldest known Bristlecone Pine is “Methuselah”. This gnarled and twisted tree is about 4,800 years old – and still able to reproduce. But only a few bristlecones have been able to grow to such incredibly old ages, survived ultraviolet rays, extreme cold, wind, and aridity in this harsh environment between the Eastern Sierra Nevada and Death Valley in an elevation between 10,000 and 11,000 feet (3,048 and 3,354 meters) above sea level. These old trees, the oldest living things on earth, 2800 years older than Christ, are now strictly protected by law and guarded carefully. “Thank you for being a friend” Card / Laminated Print / Please note: RedBubble automatically re-sharpens and adds contrast to uploaded images for web display. That’s why some originally properly exposed, sharp thumbnails and large previews appear too harsh and too sharp. / Printed Photographs are properly exposed and sharpened!
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Branch
by Jeff CraigSchulman Grove, White Mountains of California.
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Schulman Grove, White Mountains of California.
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Schulman Grove, White Mountains of California.
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It seems easier to find success where others have found success, but following a personal path may lead to a rewarding journey. Such was the case in the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest of California’s White Mountains. The Patriarch Grove is home to dramatic bristlecone trees, the oldest living things on Earth. My goal was to photograph the trees of this grove, where many other photographers had already captured wonderful images. My wife, Linda, suggested an alternative hike along a steep ridge to an unknown destination. I followed her intuition, and together we discovered a lone bristlecone tree, high atop the ridge, catching the last warm rays of the sun as it set behind the Eastern Sierra Mountains. Our path was in the opposite direction of the famous grove, but it led to a single tree that symbolized the enduring strength and beauty of the bristlecone forest. Canon Elan 7 camera and Provia 100 film.
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Bristlecone Forest, California’s White Mountains. / Provia 100 film/canon elan 7 camera. Toward the end of the day, the light illuminated this fallen bristlecone tree, giving contrast against the darker sky. The trees have interesting forms and textures, sometimes elusive to the end of the day light, when shadows creep up the hillsides.
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Highway 395 is my favorite road, as it is a portal to the Eastern Sierra Mountains, White Mountains, and Death Valley.
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Of the many scenic wonders found within the Inyo National Forest, one of the most amazing is the ANCIENT BRISTLECONE PINE FOREST, located between 10,000 and 11,000 ft. in the White Mountains, east of the Sierra Nevada. 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 upon 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 arid 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 more likely to join the Fraternity of the 4,000 year old Ancients. Not all Bristlecones attain great age. Trees anchored to more moist slopes grow fat and tall, produce less dense wood, and succumb at an earlier age. Long life is then granted to trees that are able to cling to life under situations of severe duress. To access the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest, take Highway 168 east from Big Pine. In 13 miles, you reach the turnoff to the Ancient Bristlecone Pine forest, paved for the 10 miles to the Visitor Center at Schulman Grove, them a reasonable (though rough and steep) dirt road another 13 miles to Patriarch Grove.
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Bristlecone pine skeleton, White Mountains, California. Camera: Nikon D50. Post processed with RawShooter. As of December 11, 2009: 227 views. Featured in Northern California Style: April, 2009. Featured in Americas Natural Wonders: April, 2009. Featured in Stillness speaks: April, 2009. Featured in Natural Color and Light: April, 2009. Featured in Nikon DSLR Users Group: May, 2009. Featured in Rural Around The Globe: June, 2009.
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The White Mountains, just east of California’s Sierra Nevadas, hold the oldest living things on earth. The oldest bristlecone pines in these hills are nearly 5,000 years old. The rings on this dead tree are a visual record of hundreds, if not thousands, of years in this stark, high-altitude place.
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The bristlecone pines in California’s White Mountains are among the oldest living things on Earth. In their high altitude home, they grow very slowly, and into incredibly expressive shapes.
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There is a backbone that travels up through California. It is the Sierras this calendar is dedicated to Highway 395 and its many glorious views and images.
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This is an overturned Bristlecone pine tree. The designs in the roots reminded me of those old Highlights magazines in which you had to find the shapes of animals in some obscure pattern. Should have used a macro but the size of the tree would have been lost. Hope you enjoy.
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Bristlecone Pine clinging to the Rockies
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These trees are the true “survivors”. Grown only in harsh climates, they stand strong against the elements. This particular tree is within Arches National Park in Moab, Utah. It gnarled branches stand as a testament to the years…
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