White Mountains Bristle Cone

gf beranek

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God's country, North Coast
Our trip to the Eastern Sierra and White Mountains was fantastic. Such beautiful landscapes and contrast. I been meaning to post these pics for some time. To capture the shear breadth of it all I took a lot of panorama shots.

The bristle cone and limber pine share the same habitat in the White Mountains. We made it up to Patriarch Grove, over 11,000 feet. I didn't know the mountains got their name from the dolomite up there. It's white. And where there is dolomite in the White Mountains you will find the bristle cone and limber pine. Super gnarly trees.

Thunderheads were building steadily all day, moving toward the Eastern Sierra, and lightening bolts were were striking everywhere. It made for some nice skies in the photographs, but at the same time it was kind of scary. The altitude put Terri on her seat. Trying to get her to hike was like pulling teeth. She managed a short 'one mile loop' and that was enough.

As it was we didn't spend as much time up there as I would've liked. So next spring we're going back, and I'm going to hike the Methuselah Trail at the Schulman Grove. Hopefully Terri will be up to doing it with me. If not, I'll do it alone.

Enjoy!
 

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Very strange trees...they seem to follow that dolomite. Dappled lighting makes interesting pictures...thanks much.
 
Nice, Jerry.
Thanks for showing them.
The air is a bit thin up there for us coast dvellers. I was trekking around up there with my Swiss mountain gal this summer, wheezing and with a pretty staggering heart rate, and she was traipsing along without a care in the world.:lol:
 
Jer you made it, nice!

Hope Terri is felling better, that altitude can do a number on you.
 
I hiked the methuselah loop early in August, when were you there?
 
Man ... that's some beautiful looking countryside. Cool looking how the cloud shadows are so distinct.
 
We were there the 2nd week in July. Altitude always gets me. I start getting sick around 9000 feet. I've tried everything to prevent it, but always get sick. It's a bummer.
 
You have to start out slow. If you live at sea level spend the night at 6000-7000. Do a small hike. Next day go up to 8000' spend the night, and do small hike. Spend a couple at 9500.. Then you will be good to go.

If you drive right up tp 12000 like the bristlecone forest....you'll start to experience hangover like symptoms.
 
I've never had the pleasure of seeing one in person but the bristle cone is one of my favorite trees. It's ability to live in harsh conditions commands respect!
 
Actually, I've never quite got the high elevation/low oxygen problem many people experience.

I live at only 1300 feet...I go down to under 500 feet frequently for shopping, visiting friends, other entertainment, etc., even well under 200 for the bulk, actually.

I worked for 32+ years between 500 and 6500 feet, up and down by truck, often multiple times a day. Maybe that's been the magic bullet...I don't know. But I've backpacked with a 50 pound pack for several weeks straight, many times, at 9 to 10,000 feet, straight up from home without acclimatation. I've cross country skied at over 12,000 feet, steep and tough going, same deal, no accilmatation. And I'm not talking about as a youngster only...well into my late fifties, early sixties. In none of that have I ever felt any effect of altitude. None. My tiny little lady M, partner for life, I've never seen have any difficulty either...she's lived and worked and climbed and backpacked and skied right beside me for the last 4 decades.

I've always wondered why we both seem to be immune to altitude issues we've seen and heard about from our peers. And I'm happy to acknowledge that 10 or 12k is a whole 'nother critter compared to +14 or 15k. Have not done that.

Back to the bristlecones...:)
I'd recommend the Great Basin National Park for relatively easy to get to, beautiful specimens. You can drive to about 10,000 feet early summer to early fall, then it's only a half dozen miles or so hike to the groves.
 
If you really keep your eyes open you can see bristle cone pine stumps both at higher and lower elevations from where they are now. Over the eons the range for these trees has changed as the weather changes.

California sure is a wonderous place. Oldest trees, tallest trees, biggest trees in the world. Deserts, rainforests, the list goes on. All within a few days of travel
 
Thanks all. When I get off these islands in the middle of the Pacifc, I’ll have to go check out the Great Basin National Park.
 
I should clarify...the park isn't all that easy to get to...way out in eastern Nevada, far from anything. :)

But once there, it's pretty easy to get to some nice bristlecones.
 
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