This is a classic ponderosa pine bearing tree.  It is a hundred years old and growing down in the serpentine soils of the the lower western foothills.  Precipitation in this area is low and the growth is extremely slow.  It is possible to find century-old brush chopping from the original surveyors and to literally follow in their footsteps.  Old mining debris and piles of boards, cans and other junk rust and decay into delicate senescence among the rock outcrops and uniquely adapted plants and animals of the region.  In areas where the chaparral is undisturbed there are "old growth" manzanita trunks over a foot in diameter and the scattered pines grow and heal so slowly that the blazes remain open.  Corner monuments are typically generous rock mounds.  This tree was found in the course of a survey near Vulcan Rd. in the Deadman's flat area (https://docs.co.nevada.ca.us/dsweb/Get/Document-484524/File-223627.pdf). 

Higher in the mountains, or in the valley, where vegetative growth is more rapid, bearing trees will heal more quickly and the scribing and scars are generally overgrown.  Sometimes all an intrepid surveyor will find are the rotted stump holes from the original bearing trees.  If you are lucky enough to salvage a few scraps of bark to confirm species, and the alignment of the stump holes matches the calls to the original corner it is sometimes possible to locate a scattered rock mound or replace the corner from the given GLO courses.