Plantgeek roadtrips : Ancient Bristle Cone Pines

Summer is fading & autumn is almost here. We’re on the tail end of one of the sunniest summers on record and now I sit here typing to the sound of raindrops and puddle drips. The seasonal change seems to have happened almost overnight.

A couple weeks ago I embarked on a roadtrip to California with my kid brother in the hopes of expanding his world and seeing some fresh highways. We drove south on the 101 from Port Angeles, took the coast through San Fran and down to L.A to see the Huntington Gardens. From there a quick drive east and then north again on the 395 to visit Big Pine & Bishop in search of the oldest living trees on the planet, the Bristle Cone Pines.

Some Canadians seems intimidated by the idea of driving through the U.S.A but it’s surely one of my most favorite places to road-trip. Their roads are always long and straight and built for speed, well maintained and placed in some of the most scenic passageways I’ve ever seen. From coastal cliffside to deep forests, mountains and deserts; one can see a lot of different ecosystems in a very short amount of time. Driving north from L.A to reach the starting point of the ancient bristle cone pine forest was a new trip for me and I’m very glad I made the trek.

Upon reaching Big Pine California you take a quick right on the 168 and drive into the mountains to reach this world renowned sanctuary. You start out in an almost tundra-like climate devoid of plant life. Making your way up the narrow mountain road you are transported to a time long before man; the vision is almost mars like in it’s sheer vastness and desolate nature. Quickly gaining altitude a pine tree forest emerges and in a short amount of time you find yourself at the starting point of the hike, The Schulman Memorial Grove & Bristle Cone Research Center. A well priced excursion, make sure you have $3.00 on hand for the parking pass and away you go.

There are a couple hikes to choose from depending on your time and fitness. Having drove nearly 3200km to see this forest we opted for the longer excursion and went on exploring the 4mile hike in and around the Methuselah grove. We arrived at 5:00pm and only had a couple of hours of light left so we made sure we kept some haste in our step. Still the hike was easily achieved in less than two hours; given 4 hours you could take your time quite nicely.

These trees are believed to be some of the oldest living beings on earth, the most notable inhabitant being the “Methuselah” dated at over at 4,700 years of age. The trees grow in a harsh arid climate, the oldest being found at the highest elevations at over 10,000-11,000 ft in altitude. With few nutrients in the soil and little moisture to speak of;  the hillside has very little botanical diversity at all. Bristle Cone Pine’s (Pinus longaeva) true strength lie in their ability to grow where little else can. Perhaps it is in this fact that they have lived as long as they have. These trees show no signs of senescence and it seems they can grow indefinitely given they don’t die from disaster or the hands of man.

These trees have been of great scientific debate over the years and give scientists a unique look into the past. The tree’s rings tell great tales of drought and flood and do a remarkable job of recording the weather patterns over the millennia.

Much like visiting the cathedrals in Europe I was filled with an unsurpassed awe. The air was still and absolute in it’s silence. This land was indeed sacred and walking amongst the gnarled and twisted limbs I felt something bigger than myself, then any of us for that matter. Due to the arid conditions the trees stand indefinitely even after death. Carved wood and twisted grains, it was more of a living and breathing art museum then any other forest I’d ever walked before. To think these trees lived long before the birth of Christ, the pyramids and most civilized society today. I found myself contemplating my existence in a much different light, these elders stood here all along.

… Until next time plant people .