the wandering chick
...A Bristlecone Pine Forest
on the Mount Evans highway
bristlecone pine cone 2 yrs old

As much as I enjoy taking pictures of trees, one of my favorite subjects, I just go cuckoo when I get in one of these Bristlecone Pine forests. They are the oldest of all living things, upwards of 2000 years old.

This is the second forest I've visited, and I've provided a link at the bottom of this page to the other one, in California. The trees in this pine forest at Mt Evans are about 1700 years old. The ones in California are older, a couple even believed to be 4000 years old, and one recently found is believed to be 5000 years old.

What I liked about this one on Mount Evans, however, is that there was a ranger present to point out some things about the trees that I did not know. I took a few pictures of some new growth. In this forest, new bristlecones are popping up. (Maybe there are in the California forest, too, but I didn't know what to look for.)

The trail was 1.5 miles one way, with an elevation gain of just over 600 feet. A gradual climb which eventually ends at the Highway 5, through the bristlecones and into the tundra. It offers nice views of the mountains and the tundra region atop Mount Evans. The elevation is 12,132 feet at the top. The trail is called the M. Walter Pesman Trail.

bristlecone baby
This is a 'new' bristlecone pine. According to the ranger, it's probably 200 years old!!! These ancient pines have only a 45-day a year growing period. There are a couple ways to identify a young bristlecone pine. One of them is by tiny white resin dots on the needles (not seen in this photo).
This cone is about 1 or 2 years old, according to the ranger. The one below is about 5 years old.
5-year-old cone
a dead bristlecone pine
Even though a tree may be dead, it can stand for hundreds of years. Once the roots decay, the tree will fall.
A bristlecone pine
Bristlecones are very resilient against wind and rain and weather conditions in general. They adapt to the weather by twisting their trunks and branches, making them more dense, therefore stronger and more steady. When the outer layer of the bark falls off, the sun tans the inner layers, giving them the golden "tanned" look.
a bristlecone pine
a bristlecone pine
a bristlecone pine
a bristlecone pine
a bristlecone pine
a bristlecone pine
a bristlecone pine
a bristlecone pine
a bristlecone pine
a bristlecone pine
a bristlecone pine
overlooking the mountains from the trail
The Pesman Trail is only a mile-and-a-half long, but it meanders through the bristlecone forest, then reaches the tundra region. The panoramic views from there are stunning.
The Pesman Trail
With a little imagination, perhaps we can see a bird in flight?
The Pesman Trail
The Pesman Trail
The Pesman Trail
The Pesman Trail reaches the Highway 5 that leads to the summit of Mount Evans. It then takes you on a 10-minute Alpine Loop Trail (optional) before sending you back the way you came.
The Pesman Trail
The Pesman Trail
Echo Lake
On Highway 103 just before reaching the Highway 5 which leads up to the Mount Evans summit is Echo Lake. The picture to the right is also Echo Lake, under cloudy skies.
Echo Lake

There are a few places you can go if you're interested:

California's Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest

The Colorado home page to see other pictures of my Colorado summer

Or, to a destination below.

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If you're interested in seeing more, please return to the Main Menu at the bottom of my home page and make your selection.

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