Trees known as Krummholz are stunted and twisted due to severe winds and snow, and can be just three feet tall, yet centuries old. Alpine Zone Life can be brutal above the timberline. Without the protection of trees, the wind blows across the tundra and many of the plants grow only inches tall. The growing season is also very short. Many of these birds are found only rarely within the park's boundaries.
Mountain goats have a white coat of dense, long, soft hair.
The hairs on the chin are elongated into a beard. They live on cliffs and rocky slopes around Mt. Rainier. Marmots are grayish chunky little animals that are seen along the trails. They are shaped sort of like a beaver. Hoary marmots are one of the meadow residents that are easy to see during the summer months.