Prometheus Bristlecone Pine WPN 114. Permission is hereby granted to copy and use photo 4, and photos 6-23 as long as proper attribution is given: Used with permission of [name of photographer] www.davidmckaybarker.com.
Photo 1. The Prometheus stump and its remains left on Wheeler Peak. (Photo courtesy of James R. Bouldin, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Prometheus_tree2.jpg.)
Photo 2. The Prometheus stump on Wheeler Peak in GBNP. (Photo courtesy of J. R. Bouldin, http://en.wikepedia.org/wiki/File:Prometheus_tree1.jpg.)
Photo 3. The Prometheus slab at the Ely Convention Center (inverted). It is about 82” long by 12” wide by 3” thick. (Photo courtesy of Meg Rhaodes, White Pine County Tourism and Recreation Board.)
Photo 4. the Prometheus slab at Great Basin National Park (GBNP). It is about 54” long and 3” thick. The left end includes some bark, and the heart of the tree (where the oldest rings grew) was apparently near the top right of this slab. (Photo by Darlene Barker).
Photo 5. At the GBNP Visitor’s Center: David Barker making digital micro-photos of the Prometheus slab. (Photo by Darlene Barker.)
Photo 6. A small section of the end of the Prometheus slab at Great Basin National Park (GBNP). Shown is a portion of the small strip of bark that was still on the tree when it was cut down in 1964. Note the unusual ring pattern: rather than following the contour of the bark, like in other trees (see the next figure), the rings (appearing almost vertical in this photo) seem to butt up against the cambium which was the living portion between the bark and the rest of the tree. Contrast this with Photo 7. (Photo by David Barker)
Photo 7. A tree slab (of a different species) showing ring patterns consistent with the contour of the tree. (Photo by David Barker)
Photo 8. The 13” borehole in the Prometheus slab at GBNP. (Photo by Darlene Barker)
Photo 9. About 3” of the GBNP slab showing the left-hand end (as shown in the photos above), showing the deepest penetration of the 13” borehole). (Photo by David Barker)
Photo 10. A photo showing ~3″ of the outer edge of the 13″ borehole (and what appears to have been the start of another borehole, which was stopped after only ½” or so). (Photo by David Barker)
Photo 11. A micro-photo showing ~2 mm along the edge of the borehole. Note: the tree-cells can be seen. (Photo by David Barker)
Photo 12. Another micro-photo (~2 mm) along the bottom of the borehole. (Photo by David Barker)
Photo 13. The small (angled) borehole in the GBNP Prometheus slab (photo shows ~3” section). (Photo by David Barker)
Photo 14. A ~3” section of the edge of the Prometheus slab at GBNP. (Photo by David Barker)
Photo 15. A ~3” section of the edge of the Prometheus slab at GBNP. (Photo by David Barker)
Photo 16. A ~3” section of the edge of the Prometheus slab at GBNP. (Photo by David Barker)
Photo 17. A ~3” section of the edge of the Prometheus slab at GBNP. (Photo by David Barker)
Photo 18. A ~3” section of the edge of the Prometheus slab at GBNP. (Photo by David Barker)
Photo 19. A small section (~8mm) of the Prometheus slab at GBNP. (Photo by David Barker)
Photo 20. A small section (~8mm) of the Prometheus slab at GBNP. (Photo by David Barker)
Photo 21. A small section (~8mm) of the Prometheus slab at GBNP. (Photo by David Barker)
Photo 22. A small section (~8mm) of the Prometheus slab at GBNP. (Photo by David Barker)
Photo 23. A micro-photo of a small section (~2mm) of the Prometheus slab at GBNP. (Photo by David Barker)
