Hi, Roland:
Thanks for contacting the Jefferson county extension plant diagnostic clinic.
The symptoms in your pinyon photos are consistent with two species of moths that infest pinyons - the pinyon pitch nodule moth and the pinyon tip moth. Their larvae feed on new pinyon growth and kill back the new growing tips.
As discussed in the attached CSU Fact Sheet, these 2 tip moths can be controlled with pesticides when larvae are present, but that is a relatively short time as they tunnel back into the twigs shortly after hatching, and this usually occurs in late summer. It would be important to identify which of the tip moth lava species is infesting the trees - the pitch module moth has distinctive spherical purplish pitch nodules, where young larvae are located in spring. The other tip moth does not produce these nodules but the larvae can sometimes be found by cutting the twig tips.
https://extension.colostate.edu/topic-areas/insects/pine-tip-moths-5-529/
While the damage to the pinyon twig tips is unsightly, unless extremely widespread it does not harm the tree and may not be worth attempting to control the insects.
If you would like the Jeffco plant diagnostic clinic master gardeners to identify the insect(s), you can bring samples of a 6-8 inch portion of the branch/tip ends, including any that do show pitch nodules along with any insects you observe to the extension office at the Jeffco fairgrounds: 15200 West 6th Ave Golden 80401; the office is open Tuesday through Friday.

Pat B for the jeffco diagnostic plant clinic diagnostic team

Thanks for the information.