Growing high in the Inyo National Forest located in eastern California, a bristlecone pine tree, nicknamed the Methuselah tree, has existed for thousands of years in an ancient grove among other centuries old trees. The oldest known living organism, the Methuselah tree is named after the oldest person in the Bible and is estimated to be upwards of 4800 years old. If scientists are correct, this tree's germination date predates the Egyptian Pyramids.
The Ancient Bristecone Pine Forest where the Methuselah tree lives is higher than 10,000 feet above sea level. Here, the soil is very poor and the climate is harsh, but bristecone pine trees have learned to adapt, giving them an extreme evolutionary edge.
Precipitation in this ancient forest is usually less than 12 inches, ranking among the lowest recorded on Earth. Most of that precious moisture falls as snow throughout the long winter. The warmth of summer is often limited to a scant 6 weeks and it is during this time that the bristlecone generates new growth and musters its reserves for overwintering.
