Bristlecone Pines, Big Pine, CA July 9-11, 2010

After cruising through on Memorial Day, we decided this was the weekend to go. We figured the crowd would be less than 4th of July weekend, and it may have been, but it was a new moon weekend, so the astronomy buffs were out! We left at 3:00 PM, but it was still a 5.5 hour ride to the campground, which is strictly first come, first serve. We drove around counter clockwise until we found a spot. As it turns out, a better shaded spot was just a bit further, but we never bothered to move. Rodney set up the tent in the dark and we went to sleep. The next morning, after breakfast of oatmeal and coffee and tea, we saw that the ranger station had 3 programs at 10:30, 11:30, and 12:30. So, we drove over the Schulman Grove and attended all 3.

The first was a lesson on Dendochronology and Paleoclimatology. The Bristlecone Pine trees are up to 4400 years old, and when they die, their wood weathers like stone. By lining up the tree rings, they have a record, with missing gaps of less than 200 years, of the relative climate all the way back to the ice age! The trees are special indeed and were not protected until the 1950's. Even after they were protected, a student filed the proper paperwork to cut down one to study and once they started studying it, discovered it was over 5000 years old (whoops)! The second program was a tree ring demonstration, which was anticlimactic. The third program was a guided hike on the Discovery Trail, which is a short (1.5 mile/2.5 km) hike through the grove. The trees are beautiful in the 10000 ft (3050m) elevation.

We went back to the campground and took a nap and cooked dinner while enjoying the light rainshower that afternoon and evening. We were able to enjoy our camp fire anyway. It rained off and on during the night, which likely spoiled the star gazing.

On Sunday, we drove past the ranger station, on the dirt road all the way to the end. There is a University of California research station and Naval High Altitude Research station at the end of the road. It has a gate preventing vehicle travel after about 12 miles (16 km). You can hike this road all the way to the top of White Mountain, which is 14300 ft (4360 m) tall, just 300 ft (100m) or so shorter than Mt. Whitney. It is only a 7 mile (11.2 km) hike. Rasila had some effect at the 11000 ft + elevation, so we'll have to work up to that hike. We also stopped by the Patriarch Grove, where the Patriarch tree is. It is not the oldest, but it is the biggest Bristlecone Pine tree in the world. This grove is otherworldly, with the light dolomite soil and scattered trees. The elevation is 11300 ft (3440 m) and worth a visit! After a light lunch, we headed back down to the 105 F (40C) valley floor and back home. It was a fun trip!