I’m on my first trip to Colorado and first hike - tons of pine (ponderosa i’m assuming??) growing in granite cracks; look at this gem - no wire or styling needed!
If only ponderosa could live in houston 
It really is amazing seeing the true inspiration for bonsai; new bucket list has been made to visit all the old growth forests in the US; California here I come!
Good on you for knowing what is not an option and leaving such a gem living as it has for 100 years. 
I have the same bucket list item.
That tree is awesome. Mr. Miyagi would be proud. 
Gods creations for us to admire. Where do you suppose the original “Bonsai/Penjing” folks got the idea? You do know there’s a collector of these and others in your area? ChoBonsaiYamadori.com He collects and sells Ponderosas and they grow just fine for him. In your travels please be sure to visit the Bristlecones in eastern CA and Great Basin Natl. Park in eastern Nevada. There is a short video on Mirai of a visit there. 
Oh yes, and Crater lake. Wonderful White bark Pines up there and must hike up Mt Scott. Also just a short drive away is a Douglas Fir over 12’ in diameter.
Yeah I’m torn on the Ponderosa idea; per Ryan they don’t survive in Houston/SE-US due to lack of winter dormancy and i don’t frankly want to deal with shipping it somewhere every winter; I know of Alvaro and have a couple trees from him (alligator juniper and pinyon pine) - thanks for the suggestion - I wonder if he’s in a part of texas or NM that gets cold for long enough in the winters for ponderosa to do well
I think he’s in the Dallas Ft Worth area.
He is in the DFW area. We had that significant cold spell last March. Routinely, we have 1-2 hard freezes yearly and there are Ponderosa that have been planted in the landscapes 60 years ago. As your aware, further south around Houston, freezing weather is much less frequent.
