We got going towards the park around lunchtime – we weren’t in a rush really. We have a few days here and the park isn’t super large. Amanda did some work until around noon and then we got on the road.
The park is only a short trip from the hotel we were staying at. There is a tiny town just outside the park called Baker. Population 65. It’s pretty damn small but the people are extremely nice.
We stopped in at the general store/cafe in town (it’s the only place you can grab groceries) and we met these really friendly women. The owner mentioned that they were having a community gathering later in the evening and she invited us.
The town is currently in court with the city of Las Vegas over water rights issues. They are trying to raise money to pay their legal fees. Some ice cream and live music sounded like a good time.
We got into the park and beelined for the Wheeler Peak road. You can climb the mountain but it’s like a 10-hour hike. Plus you have to start super early or else you run the risk of being up there during a storm.
We opted for the Bristlecone/Alpine Lake loop which was quite enjoyable. Not overly challenging – about a 5-mile round trip.
The first part of the trail brings you up to a bristlecone pine grove. These trees are some of the oldest living organisms on the planet. Not just tree. But organisms in general.
The oldest living organism is a bristlecone in California. Over 5,000 years old. The oldest tree in the park as far as we could see was roughly 3,300 years old. The tree started growing in 1300 B.C. which is absolutely mind-boggling.
The trees themselves don’t look very healthy but they are designed to survive in the harshest environments. The wood is rot resistant and trees can easily remain standing 500 years after they die.
We finished up at the park around 6 o’clock and headed to the community gathering. It was such a wholesome experience. They had this little string band and they played really well. They had 3 guitarists, a ukulele player, a harpist, and someone who even played the mandolin. Who would have thought in a town of 65.