In 1955 my father took us all on a driving tour of the U.S. One of our favorite spots was Yosemite National Park, where this pine growing on granite was reported to be more than a thousand years old, if memory serves.
In 1999 my sister, the little girl in the first picture and the woman in the second, revisited the tree, only to find a dessicated trunk slowly weathering away. Perhaps back in 1955 I should not have stood on it.
Update: To my relief, I find that my sneakered feet did not do in that venerable tree. According to shannontech.com, "One memorable tree is the Jeffrey pine which used to grow on the top of Sentinel Dome. The tree was able to grow in such a challenging location by drawing sustenance from the cracks in the granite. On the top of this dome it was the target of many lightening strikes and was stunted. The remains of this tree can still be found in this exotic location."
Wikipedia adds: "The tree died during the drought in 1976. The dead tree remained standing until August, 2003."
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