These trees are the oldest living things on earth. They are so tough and weathered that it is rare to find a Bristlecone without multiple scars from lightning.
I have seen dendrochronologies from single bristlecones that have, among many little paper tags, the discovery of America, the middle ages, the rise and fall of Rome, Alexander the Great's reign, and King Tut's life and death.
There are extant examples known to have witnessed our world for hundreds of decades. Dozens upon dozens of centuries. Millenia after millenia.
Even after thier demise, they continue to stand silent vigil over desolate landscapes. The tree in this photo was likely germinated ten thousand years ago.
The rocks it grew from bear the fossils of extinct fish of an ancient sea. One that was thrust to eleven thousand feet in the sky, at a rate of one inch per year.
Our bones will be dust and our tombstones will erode away but the smallest of fish on the bottom of the ocean makes a mark that lasts for millions of years.
2 comments:
Hey bert...
These are on the CA/NV border...the White Mountains, right?
The oldest of the trees was talked about in a recent backpacker/adventure/outside...sparked a good deal of controversy in the case that someone would vandalize the old one~
Nice post man, keep it up!
Be well,
Sam
you certainly know your stuff Sam. The oldest one is named Methusela and its location is kept secret. There was one older still named Prometheus but it was killed by a biologist trying to study it
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