Window of Time

My first trip to the Bristlecone pines felt surreal. These trees are ancients and have been around for thousands of years! I was in awe walking amongst their grandeur.

Great Basin Bristlecone pines (Pinus longaeva) are remarkable for being the oldest non-clonal species on the planet. This strange tree, shaped by the wind, snow, and rain has survived over thousands of years, overseeing the rise and fall of great empires, growing through ice-ages and catastrophic volcanic eruptions. Their ability to survive these harsh environments and adverse growing conditions is exactly their secret to great longevity.

Bristlecone pines (Pinus longaeva) in Great Basin National Park grow in isolated groves just below the tree-line. They are known for being the oldest non-clonal species on the planet and have evolved to survive harsh conditions; temperatures below freezing, a short growing season, and high winds which have twisted the trees into almost human-like forms. Because of these harsh conditions they grow slowly which makes the wood very dense which provides resistance to insects, fungi, rot, and erosion.