Tehachapi News

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On Thursday, Sept. 4, former local teacher, Patty Wells and her husband Jim Walker drove up to work at the Schulman Grove Visitor Center in the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest Preserve, only to see their place of work filled with smoke and flames.

Patty said, “It looked like a bomb had gone off inside!”

The beautiful 12-year-old log cabin center burned to the ground in the thin air at 10,000 feet, destroying the entire building, about 50 feet of boardwalk and several bristlecone pines. The patio, picnic tables and restrooms remained intact.

The Big Pine and US Forest Service Fire Departments were called at 8 a.m. that morning, and by 10:30 a.m. the place was crawling with fire engines, fire fighters and investigators. Other sites in the region have been vandalized this past month and officials are seeing a pattern of destruction.

Plans are afoot to raise funds and rebuild the center, but some of the displays, artifacts and art are irreplaceable. The shop merchandise is insured, including an extensive book collection. The US Forest Service self-insures their properties.

Several of Tehachapi’s educators work or have worked there seasonally and are devastated by the loss. Patty Wells began her work there in the early 1980s; Ron Olafson worked there for years; George and Anne Marie Novinger have worked there for 18 years and Lauren Hollen began work there this June.

The Trees That Changed History
The ancient bristlecones (Pinus Longaeva) are the oldest trees in the world, some over 4,700 years of age. Today the world-famous trees are preserved and studied, visited and photographed by people from all over the world. They grow into amazing shapes as they age and are kept alive by thin strips of bark that survive even when the tree looks dead. Their tree rings are climate-sensitive and reveal ancient weather patterns to scientists who have been studying them for decades. Their work has resulted ina recalibration of the Carbon 14 dating method and a revision of the sequence of ancient civilizations and their artifacts. These trees have been called The Trees That Changed History.

To visit these picturesque trees, drive north on Highways 14 and 395. Just past the town of Big Pine, turn right/east on Highway 168. Follow the winding road up into the White/Inyo Mountains, turn left on White Mountain Road after you reach a pinyon/juniper covered mesa. Follow that road until pavement ends. Be sure to stop at the Sierra View Overlook where one can view almost the entire Sierra Nevada Range. Grandview Campground is at 8,300 feet on the way up the mountain. Be sure to bring a full tank of gas, water, hats, sunscreen and a lunch. Schulman Grove is closed seasonally due to snow, ice and extreme cold, usually form November to May. The Methuselah Trail, where the oldest trees are located, is closed temporarily. For further information or a brochure, please call the White Mountain Ranger District at (760)873-2500 or go to the web site: www.fs.fed.us/r5/inyo