Bristlecone Pine and Earth Shadow at Twilight, White Mountains, California
© 2005 Jerry Dodrill

Perched at 12,000' on an alpine ridge on the Nevada/California Border, the Great Basin Bristlecone Pines (Pinus Longaeva)are the oldest organisms on Earth, living to nearly 5,000 years.

Photographing the gnarled old trees and representing them the dignity they deserve is quite a challenge. Their habitat is steep and rocky with no easy background for reference. On the day I made this image I followed my instinct, wanting a backdrop and context to show the location in which these trees live. The peak sunlight came and went, and I was still searching for the right scene when this tree presented itself to me. It reveals the desperate fight for survival in this most inhospitable landscape.