The Bristlecone Pine Forest in the Snow

We have experienced the wonder of the ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest in the White Mountains before, but never in the snow. It snowed earlier this week in the high country, but they did not re-close the road. Thus, since it is only about 25 miles from our home on a couple of roads that go from 4000 feet to 10,000 feet, off we went, even though another storm was threatening.

The snow and threatening weather just make these ancient wonders more awe inspiring and emotional --- they are such survivors. Okay, probably too many pictures here --- we just had such a great time and experience.

First, just a quick look at our town as we begin the climb.



And the road to the forest



And a rare sight, a picture of me! I am at the beginning of the trail.



The new Visitor Center won't open for the season until the end of May, but the rangers had been walking the trail, so it was easy to follow. It was also great to have the trail all to ourselves so our dogs got to enjoy it off leash.



And now for some of the most photographed pines in the snow and rapidly changing weather. These should be familiar trees to most visitors. For us, in this weather they took on new life.










And the dogs for a little perspective



Now for some shapes, textures, and a little imagination.

Slowly melting snow carving the wood



The obstacle course



Bird screaming at the weather



A muddled mind and a wild trail



A prehistoric bird



A bit of Sleepy Hollow



The serpents



The old lady and and the shoe



An old dog still loving the snow



And the other old dog who has fought cancer for two years still demonstrating the pure joy of living.



The shortcut to Bishop is a bit slushy right now --- later



But the view is one that just can't be captured well on film.



And a couple of storm pictures. The views from the White Mountains give such a different perspective of the Sierra Nevada.




And yes, this is finally the last picture.



The Bristlecone Pine Forest is a very special place --- as are all of the White Mountains.

Thank You for looking.



[Edited on 5-11-2013 by DianaT]

Way cool ....... thanks for getting outside, must have been great

Thanks guys ---- I appreciate the comments. Most of these were taken far quicker than I like as I had a dying battery. Yes, we were far up the road when I noticed --- opps, one needs to be prepared!

We hope to head back up there next week and see if the other main trail is open yet ---- charge battery, yes, charge battery.

I don't know, but now I am curious. A few years back, someone burned down the visitor's center, but a beautiful new one has been built.
This year they plan on opening at the end of May. There were a few rangers there who said we could go in now if we wanted, but with the quickly changing weather, we decided to wait until another time. I am sure that information is there.

Even if the pines were not there, the Whites are a great place to be.

Bubba, this side of the Sierra Nevada are well worth visiting as are the White Mountains. Thank you for enjoying the photos.

Quote:

Originally posted by DianaT Quote: Originally posted by Ateo Nice bumper sticker. Loved the photos! Bubba, this side of the Sierra Nevada are well worth visiting as are the White Mountains. Thank you for enjoying the photos.

Just curious, what do those 2 horizontal stripes signify?

Frank --- thanks and yes, if you have not been there, it should be on the list! I always appreciate knowing someone's favorite.

John ---- it is so difficult to explain the feeling one has when they have always looked up at the Sierra Nevada, and suddenly they are looking down and across at them. I am in awe every time we are there and this time just watching the storms was great. As you know, they are a wild place to be. Thanks for sharing the thought by Galen Rowell; he is so missed around these parts. Seems like the Whites are a bit of the step-sister to the Sierras.

Went hiking yesterday above South Lake, or what is left of South Lake right now, and maybe will post a couple of pictures later. A while back, Igor said we are having way too much fun living up here, and he is correct!

Hey, it is a Subaru and goes anywhere as is. Actually, it has a gauge that lets one know if the air pressure is too low or uneven and sometimes when we drive up in elevation and when it is REAL cold, the gauge comes on. It is a rather picky system that we won't mess with. It loves sloppy, slushy, soft and slippery stuff. Now we just want one of those vehicles you have for some roads where we need more clearance.

Thanks, and yes we are really enjoying being here.

Sierra Adventure

It gives me chills to think about being on the top of Whitney as you describe! Wow. Next week, maybe, we are headed back up to look for Methuselah, I hope.



Bajaguy --- I checked out that book and I am going to buy it! It sounds really interesting. THANKS And since you are in the area and know how bad the snow pack is this year, I am posting a picture of South Lake we took yesterday while hiking up there--- It is so low -- and then there is that awful tube filled with water headed down to Los Angeles so all those lawns can be nice and green.



Did not take a picture from the dam --- there is no water near the dam!

sad, sad, sad

Thanks, I will read both of them. Since we moved here, I read Cadillac Desert again ---- it is a desert and water all over the west is King. I guess lawns are more important than food and grazing land.

Here, LADWP has stopped the dust abatement program on the lake and all the water they were using for that is going into the tube. They also want more of the ground water this year! LA is not going to get as much water this year from the Feather River or the Colorado, so they are grabbing. When the grandaughter of Mulholland was up here this year to celebrate an anniversary, I guess she wondered why she was not greeted with open arms by everyone!

Thanks for the book tips and I will let you know! Meantime, this is a beautiful place to be.

Saline Valley

Sorry for being not clear. The last time we headed down the Saline Valley road was when we went to the Dunes a few weeks ago -- so we turned off and did not follow it all the way. Last time we went further was probably more than a year ago, so that would not be very current.

California Central Valley also grows A LOT of cotton which requires lots of water. But none of the water from these watersheds to to the Central Valley--- all to Los Angeles. I don't think you in Orange county get any of this water. :-)


Just something that might interest you. One of the former owners of our home is a botanist with the Forest Service and we have some very interesting plants popping up-- native plants from the area. We are afraid to pull anything that might look like a weed until we are sure it is not a beautiful native flower or plant. I do need to get a good native plant book for identifications. Everyday, we find another new plant or flower.

Since we want more native plants, we discovered

The Bristlecone Chapter of the Native Plant Society

and once a year, they have a plant sale--- all native plants from the area that they have started from seeds or cuttings. They sell them in the fall so that they can establish good root systems before the summer heat. We are really looking forward to the sell!

Today we went for a short hike in the lower Whites and then popped across the valley and up Baker Creek and there are some monster fields of white wildflowers --- it is the time, I just need to be able to identify something other than lupine!

Enjoy getting rid of any lawnmower you may have.

Opps, on edit, it sounds like it was not your yard, but you were the installer? Doesn't matter, one less lawn is a good thing.

[Edited on 5-14-2013 by DianaT]

So hydraulic mining in the gold rush era was good for the miners but bad for SF Bay as it filled in 60 percent of it with silt. But the silt also created the central delta so was good for the rice farmers but bad for the fish since they're sucking all the water out...oh but wait the rice fields are good for the bird populations but bad for the air pollution...oh my, oh my, silly world.

Quote:

Originally posted by Mexitron So hydraulic mining in the gold rush era was good for the miners but bad for SF Bay as it filled in 60 percent of it with silt. But the silt also created the central delta so was good for the rice farmers but bad for the fish since they're sucking all the water out...oh but wait the rice fields are good for the bird populations but bad for the air pollution...oh my, oh my, silly world.

Oh yes, it is all so easy to follow and all so positive in favor of the rice people.

And to top everything off, the gold rush was at first really bad for the city of San Francisco. The city was almost emptied of population for a while! They all left with gold fever and got there before it became an international gold rush!

The scars in the gold areas from the hydraulic mining are incredible and really, really ugly --- they just tore many of those mountains apart.

Rice

You know Igor, it is such a complicated problem for which the answers are never simple. Who knows, if Los Angeles had not taken the water from here, maybe there would be rice farms here. And there are those who argue that rice production uses less resources that the raising of cattle and while I eat more vegetarian all the time, I still enjoy a good beef steak.

I think the only possible absolute is that water is king/queen.

Speaking of dams in the Sierras, we drove up to what is left of Lake Sabrina today --- such a sad sight and to think, the LADWP wants even more water in this year of such a major low snow pack. What is left of the lake is not any where near the dam and the boat launching area is, well you can see. I apologize for the fuzzy picture, I took it in a hurry as it was raining and my camera was getting wet.



I just don't know, but this guy appears to just being enjoying his life fishing at Intake 2. Who knows what he thinks about the water situation, but he appears to be enjoying his afternoon.



And for me, there is always something so calming and renewing as a grove of Aspen Trees. Right now there are some that have all their leaves, some that are just begining and some like these who are just showing their grand beauty.


Aspens just make me temporarily forget a lot of reality, except they and their habitat are so worth preserving!

Aspen trees speak

I have never questioned why the quaking aspens quake as they do, I have just always enjoyed them as you so well describe, the movement, and the quieting subtle noise. And yes, while the amazing fall colors can be captured, their special movement cannot, or at least I have never seen a photo that captures that special feeling.

Now, I THINK these are aspens just coming out especially since we were at such a high elevation. However, I certainly have been incorrect in plant identification before.

[Edited on 5-17-2013 by DianaT]