Hard to imagine, then, that they're home to the oldest living things on the planet — the ancient warped and twisted bristlecone pine tree, a big draw for photographers, painters and other artists.
"Whether old or young, sheltered or exposed to the wildest gales, these trees are irrepressibly and extravagantly picturesque," John Muir wrote, "offering a richer and more varied series of forms to the artist than any other species I have yet seen."
After spending some time recently in the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest, I can attest that it's hard to argue with that.
The area's winds, often clocking 100 mph or more, play a major role in shaping these trees, and every one looks different from its neighbor. Some are twisted into a corkscrew. Others have branches that stretch in multiple directions. Read the full report here.
Source: by Dan Blackburn, Chicago Tribune.
