One of the oldest bristlecones at Bryce... about 1700 years old. Looks dead, and it might be but it'll be kmpossible to tell while theres still at least 10 inches of bark on the tree. Probably started going down the tubes when they told everyone how old it is and people started touching it, taking pieces of it... etc.
There is a bristlecone in the White Mountains in California, Methuselah, that is almost 5,000 years old!
There were some cool youngins on the trail as well. The needles are so soft! Hard not to caress them for a little while.
A little further down the trail is a small structure with a couple plaques with some Thoreau quotes on them.. Like this one:
"I need solitude. I have come forth to this hill... to see the forms of the mountains on the horizon- to behold and commune with something grander than man."
It started getting dark (and cold) so we started driving back. Stopped at natural arch on the way. Did a lightening speed Ed Abbey-style tour... driving real fast, jumping out of the car, leaving it running and trying to take in the views in less than 14 seconds. Kind of fun.
Managed to get a pretty balla spot in the campground.. Not really our style- had to pay about 15 bucks but we weren't really fancing wondering around Dixie national foerest in the dark trying to find a spot.
Got up early and started hiking with some nice cloud cover. Had a pretty ambitious hike planned out but (Jesse) ended up getting bored and cutting it short. Hiked from Bryce point, down through the canyon and up to sunrise point, then took the rim trail back. Must say it is kind of nice hiking in a canyon without putting a ton of effort in (like here).
By the time we finished, it was sunny and beautiful- also hot and crowded.. So we were pretty anxious to get out of there.
Know what you mean about those bristlecones, amazing old trees.
ReplyDeleteSometimes hard to find camping in the Dixie.