It may not look like the tree on the left is still alive, but it is still hanging on. I liked the pattern these two created on the ridge line against the clouds.
Bristlecone Pines: Alive and Dead
Bristlecone Pine Snag
This old snag was totally amazing. It should be the photo in the dictionary next to the word gnarly.
Bristlecone Pines
The Ancient Bristlecone Forest is in the White Mountains north of Death Valley at an elevation of about 10,000′. The oldest living tree is located in the area (exact location withheld to protect it from the stupid). I find the bristlecones to be amazing in their forms and awe inspiring in their adaptability. The variation in growth pattern is pretty incredible and extremely photogenic. If I seem excessive in my description, I would suggest that you visit them and see if you can remain unmoved. They are truly a marvel.
Bristlecones
The miners in the White Mountains around the turn of the 20th Century cut down these bristlecones that were hundreds of years old … or more. They used them for mine timbers and to build cabins for the few months of the year they could live at 10,000 feet. A complete travesty. Thoughtless carnage in the pursuit of a hopeless dream. We can just be happy that there was no large seam of high quality ore. If that had happened, the bristlecones would likely have all been logged.
Looking West to the Sierras
This shot is looking west from the White Mountains (the Bristlecone Pine area) towards the Sierras in late April. Much earlier and the road up the White Mountains is still closed from snow most years. Elevation here is over 10,000 feet.