Bristlecone pine displays its characteristic gnarled, twisted form as it rises above the arid, dolomite-rich slopes of the White Mountains at 11000-foot elevation. Patriarch Grove, Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest, Pinus longaeva, White Mountains, Inyo National Forest

Bristlecone Pine, White Mountains, Inyo National Forest

Stars and the Milky Way rise above ancient bristlecone pine trees, in the White Mountains at an elevation of 10,000' above sea level.  These are some of the oldest trees in the world, reaching 4000 years in age, Pinus longaeva, Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest, White Mountains, Inyo National Forest

Stars And The Milky Way Rise Above Ancient Bristlecone Pine Trees, Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest, White Mountains, Inyo National Forest

Ancient bristlecone pine tree, rising above the arid, dolomite-rich slopes of the Schulman Grove in the White Mountains at an elevation of 9500 above sea level, along the Methuselah Walk.  The oldest bristlecone pines in the world are found in the Schulman Grove, some of them over 4700 years old. Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest, Pinus longaeva, White Mountains, Inyo National Forest

Ancient Bristlecone Pine Tree, White Mountains, Inyo National Forest

Stars and the Milky Way rise above ancient bristlecone pine trees, in the White Mountains at an elevation of 10,000' above sea level.  These are some of the oldest trees in the world, reaching 4000 years in age, Pinus longaeva, Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest, White Mountains, Inyo National Forest

Stars And The Milky Way Rise Above Ancient Bristlecone Pine Trees, Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest, White Mountains, Inyo National Forest

A hiker admires an ancient bristlecone pine tree, on the Methuselah Walk in the Schulman Grove in the White Mountains at an elevation of 9500 above sea level.  The oldest bristlecone pines in the world are found in the Schulman Grove, some of them over 4700 years old. Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest, Pinus longaeva, White Mountains, Inyo National Forest

A Hiker Admires An Ancient Bristlecone Pine Tree, White Mountains, Inyo National Forest

Ancient bristlecone pine tree in the White Mountains, at an elevation of 10,000' above sea level.  These are some of the oldest trees in the world, reaching 4000 years in age, Pinus longaeva, Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest, White Mountains, Inyo National Forest

Ancient Bristlecone Pine Tree In The White Mountains, Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest, White Mountains, Inyo National Forest

Stars and the Milky Way rise above ancient bristlecone pine trees, in the White Mountains at an elevation of 10,000' above sea level.  These are some of the oldest trees in the world, reaching 4000 years in age, Pinus longaeva, Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest, White Mountains, Inyo National Forest

Stars And The Milky Way Rise Above Ancient Bristlecone Pine Trees, Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest, White Mountains, Inyo National Forest

Ancient bristlecone pine tree, roots spread wide and exposed over dolomite-rich soil, rising above the arid slopes of the Schulman Grove in the White Mountains at an elevation of 9500 above sea level, along the Methuselah Walk.  The oldest bristlecone pines in the world are found in the Schulman Grove, some of them over 4700 years old. Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest, Pinus longaeva, White Mountains, Inyo National Forest

Ancient Bristlecone Pine Tree, White Mountains, Inyo National Forest

Bristlecone pine rising above the arid, dolomite-rich slopes of the White Mountains at 11000-foot elevation. Patriarch Grove, Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest, Pinus longaeva, White Mountains, Inyo National Forest

Bristlecone Pine, White Mountains, Inyo National Forest

Bristlecone pines rising above the arid, dolomite-rich slopes of the White Mountains at 11000-foot elevation. Patriarch Grove, Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest, Pinus longaeva, White Mountains, Inyo National Forest

Bristlecone Pine, White Mountains, Inyo National Forest

Ancient bristlecone pine tree, rising above the arid, dolomite-rich slopes of the Schulman Grove in the White Mountains at an elevation of 9500 above sea level, along the Methuselah Walk.  The oldest bristlecone pines in the world are found in the Schulman Grove, some of them over 4700 years old. Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest, Pinus longaeva, White Mountains, Inyo National Forest

Ancient Bristlecone Pine Tree, White Mountains, Inyo National Forest

Bristlecone pines rising above the arid, dolomite-rich slopes of the White Mountains at 11000-foot elevation. Patriarch Grove, Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest, Pinus longaeva, White Mountains, Inyo National Forest

Bristlecone Pine, White Mountains, Inyo National Forest

Bristlecone pine tree cone. Patriarch Grove, Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest, Pinus longaeva, White Mountains, Inyo National Forest

Bristlecone Pine, White Mountains, Inyo National Forest

Ancient bristlecone pine tree in the White Mountains, at an elevation of 10,000' above sea level.  These are some of the oldest trees in the world, reaching 4000 years in age, Pinus longaeva, Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest, White Mountains, Inyo National Forest

Ancient Bristlecone Pine Tree In The White Mountains, Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest, White Mountains, Inyo National Forest

Ancient bristlecone pine trees in the White Mountains, at an elevation of 10,000' above sea level.  These are some of the oldest trees in the world, reaching 4000 years in age, Pinus longaeva, Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest, White Mountains, Inyo National Forest

Ancient Bristlecone Pine Trees In The White Mountains, Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest, White Mountains, Inyo National Forest

Stars trails above ancient bristlecone pine trees, in the White Mountains at an elevation of 10,000' above sea level.  These are some of the oldest trees in the world, reaching 4000 years in age, Pinus longaeva, Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest, White Mountains, Inyo National Forest

Stars Trails Above Ancient Bristlecone Pine Trees, Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest, White Mountains, Inyo National Forest

Stars and the Milky Way rise above ancient bristlecone pine trees, in the White Mountains at an elevation of 10,000' above sea level.  These are some of the oldest trees in the world, reaching 4000 years in age, Pinus longaeva, Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest, White Mountains, Inyo National Forest

Stars And The Milky Way Rise Above Ancient Bristlecone Pine Trees, Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest, White Mountains, Inyo National Forest

Stars trails above ancient bristlecone pine trees, in the White Mountains at an elevation of 10,000' above sea level.  These are some of the oldest trees in the world, reaching 4000 years in age, Pinus longaeva, Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest, White Mountains, Inyo National Forest

Stars Trails Above Ancient Bristlecone Pine Trees, Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest, White Mountains, Inyo National Forest

Intense sun, extremely arid conditions, high winds and winter exposure wear away at the exposed bark of a bristlecone pine, leaving striations along its exterior.  A small amount of living bark is all that is necessary to sustain a mature bristlecone pine tree into extreme old age.  Patriarch Grove, Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest, Pinus longaeva, White Mountains, Inyo National Forest

Bristlecone Pine, White Mountains, Inyo National Forest