The Ancients

This was one of the first times I walked around under the light of the stars, without and moonlight or headlamp, and was able to see without problems (after my eyes adjusted to the dark for over an hour). A memorable experience. An then there's these bristlecones... this one may be dead, but it will be in this spot for a while still, since bristlecone wood does not rot or burn; it is simply too dense. These are the oldest trees in the world, and withstand the very cold, high altitude, windy conditions up high in the White Mountains.