More Than Strip Clubs & Slot Machines

1,500 Year Old Friend

Bristlecone Pines, the worlds oldest living things, stand high atop isolated mountains in six western states. Bristlecones are thought to have the longest lifespan of all trees with the oldest being 5,000 years old. They endure high winds, cold temperatures and little precipitation which causes them to be twisted and gnarled over time. I’d hoped to see some of the really old ones when we ventured into CA, but since our plans changed, and we are “sheltering in place “ in Nevada I’d accepted the fact that seeing one just wasn’t in the cards. Little did I know that some youngsters (about 1,500 years old) lived atop the Spring Mountains, thirty miles from our campsite. There was still a problem, though. The area where they live is at 9,000 feet elevation and is still covered in snow. We decided to drive to the park and at least see the Bristlecone Pine trailhead.

The drive up the mountain was beautiful and as we gained elevation, we noticed fields full of Joshua Trees. Going to Joshua Tree National Park was another thing on my wish list, so I was shocked to see so many in a National Forest in Nevada. Why have I always thought of Las Vegas in such a one dimensional way? It’s so much more than strip clubs and slot machines!

Anyway, when we got to the trailhead, we discovered local snowboarders had chosen the trail to hike up the mountain, then snowboard off the top. They’d tramped down the trail enough that we managed to hike to the top following their tracks. I was ecstatic to discover a stand of trees near the top and got to meet my first Bristlecone Pine!

Joshua Trees on our way to Mt. Charleston