Whitebark Pine
Whitebark pine (Pinus albicaulis) is a slow growing, long-lived, stone pine of high-elevation forests and timberlines of the northwestern United States and southwestern Canada. Whitebark pine can live for 500-1000 years. The oldest known whitebark pine is on Sawtooth National Forest in Idaho with an estimated age of 1,270 years. It is one of five stone pines worldwide and the only stone pine in North America. It occupies harsh, cold sites characterized by rocky, poorly developed soils and snowy, wind-swept exposures.
This species is severely threatened and is at risk of extinction due to the introduced disease, white pine blister rust, and recent infestations of mountain pine beetle. In December 2022, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service found that threats to whitebark pine warranted listing it as threatened under the federal Endangered Species Act.
On the Payette National Forest, whitebark pine typically grows at higher elevations above 6,000 feet in the subalpine fir zone. Associated tree species include lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta) and sub-alpine fir (Abies lasiocarpa). Understory cover is typically discontinuous in high-elevation sites with grouse whortleberry (Vaccinium scoparium), pinegrass (Calamagrostis rubescens), Ross' sedge (C. rossii), rosy pussytoes (Antennaria rosea) and smooth woodrush (Luzula hitchcockii) dominating.
The Clark's nutcracker, a native bird species, caches the seeds of the whitebark pine for a future food source. The Clark's nutcracker is in the same family as the crow, raven, and magpie. It can carry up to 30 whitebark pine seeds at one time and may travel 10 miles from a seed harvest site to a seed cache site.
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Sierra Sampson There are 5 needles per fascicle (group).
- The needle fascicles are clustered on the end of branches.
- Whitebark pine can easily be confused with lodgepole pine, which can have similar bark, but only 2 needles per fascicle.
- The needle clusters on the branches have thicker and more clumpy appearance than lodgepole pine.
- The crown is broadly branched and open.
- Trees have thin, gray bark.
- The female cones are purplish-brown; often in groups of 2-5 (3) cones.
Benefits of Whitebark Pine
- Water Security- Whitebark pine help regulate snowmelt and maintain late season streamflows. By shading snow and slowing melt rates, these trees extend the availability of water for downstream users, including agriculture, recreation, and water for municipalities.
- Flood and Erosion Control- Healthy whitebark pine stands stabilize steep slopes and help prevent erosion. Their root systems hold fragile alpine soils in place, reducing the risk of landslides and sediment buildup in waterways.
- Wildfire Resilience- Whitebark pine often grows in high-elevation zones where natural fire cycles historically maintained open, resilient landscapes. These open conditions can prevent a fast traveling crown fire when fire does occur. Restoring these open conditions that favor whitebark pine—often through prescribed burns or thinning—makes the entire forest system more fire-adapted and safer for communities and firefighters alike.
- Cultural and Recreational Value- This species has deep ties to Indigenous cultures in the West, where its seeds were traditionally used for food and medicine. Today, whitebark pine landscapes are also prized for their beauty and solitude by hikers, backpackers, and backcountry skiers seeking quiet, wild places.
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Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services- As a keystone species, whitebark pine supports a food web that includes Clark’s nutcrackers, bears, red squirrels, and many other species. Its seeds are energy-rich and often one of the only food sources available at high elevations. Without it, entire ecological relationships begin to unravel. Additionally, whitebark pine is a pioneer species, it is tolerant of harsh environmental conditions and can establish in previously tree-less areas, especially after wildfire on alpine ridges. It creates microclimates that help other conifers and plants establish.
Whitebark Pine Ecosystem Foundation
Learn more about Brundage Mountain Resort becoming a Whitebark Pine Friendly Ski Area.