Ancient Bristlecone pines under the Milky Way

The ancient bristlecone pine forest high up in the White Mountains on the eastern slopes of the Sierra Nevada in California grows at an altitude between 3000 and 3400 m (9800 and 11,000 ft) under arid high alpine conditions. They are the oldest living trees in the world.
A nighttime bristlecone pine forest belongs to one of the most bizarre places on our planet. Although these solitary gnarled trees seem to be dead, they carry a few living branches and enjoy the nightly view into deep space.