Ancient Bristelcone Pine Forest, California Even dead bristlecones have interesting shapes. John Muir said the bristlecones were "irrepressibly and extravagantly picturesque, offering a richer and more varied series of forms to the artist than any other species I have yet seen."
Patriarch Grove, Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest When you walk among these ancients, it's easy to imagine them as kindly grandparents. While I walked around waiting for the sun to spotlight the trunk of this tree, I found myself addressing it in my mind as "grandfather."
Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest, California There are three species of bristlecones. These are pinus longaeva ("long-lived"), also called the Great Basin or the western bristlecone. Here, the late afternoon sun shows off the beautiful colors of the wood.
