Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest

Over the years, some riders have found today's route to be the most difficult in our Eastern Sierras series. Not Onion Valley. Not Horseshoe Meadows. White Mountain Road, all the way to the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest.

In his Complete Guide to Climbing (By Bike) books, John Summerson ranked this as the third most difficult climb in California, and 11th in the United States. He cautions: “This is a long and tough climb so make sure you are prepared.” Heed those words.

Our ride leaders told us we'd find water a little past mile eight at Sweetwater Springs; they also kindly left some gallons for us around the halfway point. Nonetheless, it seemed prudent to carry a third bottle; I stashed a frozen one in a cinch sack for the occasion. A little extra water, a little extra cooling.

As I climbed higher and higher, I thought of the folks who rode the White Mountain Double on Saturday. We were tracing part of their route; this was the first climb of their 200-mile day—and the only climb of our 48-mile day.

Before turning onto White Mountain Road, we continued along California State Route 168 to the summit at Westgard Pass. Unlike the White Mountain Double riders, we made a u-turn there instead of descending into Nevada.

As my two riding companions lingered at our water stop, I began my solo ascent along White Mountain Road. How would I fare on this hot, challenging, high-elevation climb?

Consistent with the theme for this trip: I kept expecting it to get horrible—and it didn't. Sure, it was hot. Sure, it was a long climb. I paused at the 10,000-foot marker for a photo; evidently there is enough oxygen up there to keep me going. By the end of the day, I would climb 6,400 feet over 49 miles.

I marveled at the ancient trees, thousands of years old. The key to their survival is the low level of nutrients available in the soil— which is high in calcium magnesium carbonate, White Mountain's dolomite. This seems paradoxical, but perhaps it's analogous to animal research suggesting that caloric restriction is beneficial for longevity? A ranger pointed out one tree that went crazy producing cones this year; they are most curious about what's ahead, now that it has expended so much energy on those cones. To provide some perspective on their growth rate, he drew my attention to a small, bushy specimen, no more than 10 inches high. “That one is 20 years old,” he explained.

Wishing I had more time to explore the Methuselah Grove, I was the last rider to depart. Despite a few photo stops along the way, I caught up to three members of our group a few miles from the bottom. Taking the lead, I heard a trailing rider shout left turn—the rider on my wheel was inclined to turn right. She followed me on the next turn, approaching the park where we started, but then continued straight. And disappeared.

Therein lies a tale.