Once you get above 12,000 feet in elevation you enter the realm of the alpine tundra. I find the ecosystem of the tundra absolutely fascinating, there are so many similarities between this landscape and the landscape of the southwestern deserts. The tundra at first looks rather barren, but closer inspection reveals an entire microcosm of life - from the beautiful multicolored lichen to the exquisite mosses that blanket the surface. Up close, the tiny flowers are exquisite in appearance and design. I am awestruck at their remarkable adaptation to this extremely harsh environment, in exactly the same way I am impressed with the life forms of the desert.
Life has to struggle so much harder to survive.
The simple act of living is somehow intensified for the plants and animals of these special places. Weather is wildly unpredictable in the alpine tundra. I have been caught in numerous snow and hail storms, even in July. But even with hail bouncing off my FTb, it has never disappointed me up in the tundra. As a matter of fact, shortly after taking this picture my camera and I were bombarded with hail.