During this window the tree forms new needles and cones and stores reserves for the winter. A typical bristlecone will add only a hundredth of an inch to its girth every year. And bristlecone pine needles live somewhere between 20 and 30 years. This tree turned 4,751 years old this year. This grove sits at an elevation of 11,200 feet in a natural amphitheater with awesome views of the surrounding mountains.
Dead wood is scattered on the ground and it is as interesting as the trees themselves.
Dendrochronology has shown some of the dead wood is 9,000 years old. Looking a lot like driftwood, these bleached and weathered bristlecone remnants are extremely important to scientists researching the planet's history. Since the ice age ended some 10,000 years ago, it's possible that an ancient piece of dead wood dating back that far could hold vital clues to the Earth's evolution. Consequently, the seemingly innocent act of picking up a small souvenir piece of dead bristlecone wood is forbidden in the Inyo National Forest. It is a 13-mile drive on paved road to the summit of Westgard Pass where you will see the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest sign.