A few years ago I celebrated my 25th birthday in the Eastern Sierra. I had four whole days dedicated to fun, some driving to and from the Bay Area, but no agenda. I’d been to the East Side before, to tackle Mt. Whitney and some ice climbing, but had never driven the length of 395. I’m always stuck with the dilemma of trying to see something of everything, or sticking to just one spot. For my 25th trip around the sun, I was going to try to see a bit of it all.
The Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest is one of California’s many gems. Here in the xeric alpine environment, some of the oldest non-clonal living organisms thrive. The Visitor Center is located next to Schulman Grove, home to the Methuselah tree, the oldest tree alive until the discovery of one slightly older in the area.
After exploring and getting stuck in the Volcanic Tablelands north of Bishop, the boyfriend and I still had some time to kill. We drove south to Big Pine and out to the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest. Ty at Wilson’s Eastside Sports told us of great views here, so we drove up to see where the road would take us. Fortunately for us, White Mountain Road was open to the Visitor Center and Schulman Grove.