We live in Evergreen, Colorado at around 8,000'. We have several mature 18" diamter pine trees that have had all of their needles have turned brown this very dry summer. The needles stay on as well as the pine cones remain closed and hard.

Reply to post by ROBERT E SEALEY, on August 04, 2002 at 12:10:52:

It is possible your trees have become infested with Mountain Pine Beetle, or another of the forest pests. The site linked below has information on a number of forest tree species, including damaging agents. I suggest you need a local tree expert to identify the problem. It may be wise to dispose of the trees before the insects can complete another life cycle, if they are infested and killed. That should be determined on-site, not by a person remote from the situation.

I am not familiar with your location, so I have to guess what species of pine to which you refer.