Sarah, the one in Nevada was cut down many years ago in order to determine its age (gotta love the irony). Currently, the oldest known living one is the Methuselah Tree in CA's White Mountains, and the FS does not reveal the exact location (probably a good idea).
From Wikipedia:
"The oldest (non-clonal, acknowledged) living organism known is a bristlecone pine tree nicknamed "Methuselah" (after Methuselah, the longest-lived person in the Bible). Methuselah is located in the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest in the White Mountains of eastern California, however its precise location is undisclosed by the U.S. Forest Service to protect the tree from vandalism.[1] The age of Methuselah was measured by core samples in 1957 to be 4,789 years old.
In the Snake Range of eastern Nevada Donald R. Currey, a student of the University of North Carolina, was taking core samples of bristlecones in 1964. He discovered that "Prometheus" in a cirque below Wheeler Peak was over 4,000 years old. His coring tool broke, so the U.S. Forest service granted permission to cut down "Prometheus". 4,844 rings were counted on a cross-section of the tree, making "Prometheus" at least 4,844 years old, the oldest non-clonal living thing known to man."
Bob Sihler - Dec 29, 2009 2:20 pm - Voted 10/10
Oldest bristleconeSarah, the one in Nevada was cut down many years ago in order to determine its age (gotta love the irony). Currently, the oldest known living one is the Methuselah Tree in CA's White Mountains, and the FS does not reveal the exact location (probably a good idea).
From Wikipedia:
"The oldest (non-clonal, acknowledged) living organism known is a bristlecone pine tree nicknamed "Methuselah" (after Methuselah, the longest-lived person in the Bible). Methuselah is located in the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest in the White Mountains of eastern California, however its precise location is undisclosed by the U.S. Forest Service to protect the tree from vandalism.[1] The age of Methuselah was measured by core samples in 1957 to be 4,789 years old.
In the Snake Range of eastern Nevada Donald R. Currey, a student of the University of North Carolina, was taking core samples of bristlecones in 1964. He discovered that "Prometheus" in a cirque below Wheeler Peak was over 4,000 years old. His coring tool broke, so the U.S. Forest service granted permission to cut down "Prometheus". 4,844 rings were counted on a cross-section of the tree, making "Prometheus" at least 4,844 years old, the oldest non-clonal living thing known to man."
Sarah Simon - Dec 29, 2009 2:54 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: Oldest bristleconeBob,
I really, really wish you were kidding about the Nevada Bristlecone being cut down...but it appears you're not.
Thanks for the info. I'll integrate this into the page.
Sarag