the White Mountains) it may extend up to 1 1 ,000 feet (3,353 m). 

 The climatic regime in the Subalpine Forest is variable, although 

 in general it is somewhat more rigorous than that of the Montane 

 Forest. Winters are usually very cold and associated with heavy 

 precipitation; the winter snows may provide the explanation for 

 the conical form of subalpine conifers, which inspired the idea for 

 the original A-frame building construction. 



The Subalpine Forest is as rich in its number of coniferous 

 dominants and its local diversity as is the Montane Forest. One 

 dominant conifer is Lodgepole Pine (Pinus murrayana), which has 

 a sporadic distribution. This relatively small conifer seems to 

 occur in areas in which the local climatic or soil conditions are 

 rather unfavorable for the full development of other coniferous 

 species. Other Subalpine inhabitants are Western White Pine (Pin- 

 us monticold) and Mountain Hemlock (Tsuga mertensiana, Plate 

 12C). At timberline, one finds gnarled and windswept individuals 

 of Whitebark Pine {P. albicaulis, Plate 12D). Other pine species 

 are the closely related trio consisting of Limber Pine (P. flexilis). 

 Foxtail Pine (P. balfouriand), and Bristlecone Pine {P. aristatd). 

 Bristlecone Pine occurs (in California) in the very dry White 

 Mountains, where it receives an average precipitation of about 12 

 inches (30 cm) per year; the trees are widely spaced and not es- 

 pecially tall. Despite its unfavorable environment, Bristlecone 

 Pines have a remarkably long life span and are perhaps the longest- 

 lived organisms on earth. One individual shows growth rings 

 which suggest that it is 4,600 years old, an age exceeding that of 

 the oldest Big Trees. Even the leaves of the Bristlecone Pine are 

 long lived; needle life has been estimated to be as much as 

 30 years. 



In many areas occupied by the Subalpine Forest, particularly at 

 higher elevations, trees are widely scattered. The spaces among 

 the trees are frequently occupied by a number of colorful herba- 

 ceous perennials and shrubs such as various wild currants (Ribes 

 spp.), willows (Salix spp.), and huckleberries (Vaccinium spp.). 



Montane Meadow (Plate 13A) 



Where there is shallow or continuously moist soil in upper 

 montane areas, treeless meadows are encountered that are occu- 



104 



