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Ponderosa or Western Yellow Pine Similar to the Jeffrey, the ponderosa prefers lower elevations, usually below 6500 feet, and grows in smaller numbers near Lake Tahoe. It has yellowish to reddish-brown bark and often reaches heights of 100 feet. Like Jeffrey pine, ponderosa also has long needles of three. Ponderosa pine cone prickles stick up and out, while the Jeffrey’s turn up and in (remember “gentle Jeffrey” or “prickly ponderosa”). Some areas have a hybridized combination of Jeffrey and ponderosa, making identification difficult.

Trees and Altitude

Trees in the Sierra tend to find their niche at a particular altitude. By knowing your altitude, you might be able to identify the tree; conversely if you can identify a tree, it might help you determine your altitude. The one exception to the rule is the lodgepole pine, which seems to be found at nearly any mountain elevation. The chart below details where trees are dominant. Be aware that you may find a few stragglers above and below the listed ranges. But if, for example, you see lots of western white pines and no sugar pines, you will know that you are above 7000 feet in elevation.