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Love to bask in the sun and eat the grass that grows at these high elevation. The growing season is short, so the marmots have to hibernate. Marmots live in colonies of 10-12 marmots. They have a yellow underside and a red brown coat.  Males are very territorial. There is no real threat to them except pollution and habitat loss.

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a great website that we used to find some simple information 

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a great website that we used to find some simple information 

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Subalpine forests give way to mountain lakes like Odessa Lake.
NPS

A maze of evergreen trees covers the mountainsides in subalpine areas. Hidden among the trees are crystal clear lakes and fields of wildflowers that may surprise you. The subalpine ecosystem occupies elevations just below tree-line between 9,000 and 11,000 feet.

A typical subalpine forest may consist mostly of subalpine fir and Engelmann spruce. However, previously-burned areas may contain varying amounts, or even almost pure stands, of lodgepole pine. Lodgepole seedlings do well in sunlight, often abundant after fire, but once the forest is established, plant succession may result in increasing amounts of spruce and subalpine fir. Ground cover in a previously-burned forest area often includes two species of huckleberry.

Limber pine, with flexible twigs and needles in groups of five, may also be part of subalpine forests. In high, windblown areas, limber pines often grow into grotesque shapes.

Engelmann spruce and subalpine fir, which grow straight and tall in the lower subalpine forests, become shorter and deformed nearer treeline. Even as the trunk grows upward, strong, cold, dry winds may destroy new growth on the windward side, leaving permanent growth only on the lee side of the trunk. Trees with branches on only one side are often called banner trees or flag trees.

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Subalpine Ecosystem - Rocky Mountain National Park (U.S. National Park Service)

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A maze of evergreen trees covers the mountainsides in subalpine areas. Hidden among the trees are crystal clear lakes and fields of wildflowers that may surprise you. The subalpine ecosystem occupies elevations just below tree-line between 9,000 and 11,000 feet. A typical subalpine forest may consist mostly of subalpine fir and Engelmann spruce.

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These can range in hight to 15-90 inches. They can be blue, white, pink, cream, and a few other colors. Some off the flowers have things called spurs coming off the back, but not all of them have to have them. (the photo below was shot by my sister Katherine A Bair)

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Cool weather so the snow can stick. The large trees provide shade so it is cool. The temperature  can range from 20-70 degrees Fahrenheit.

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Weight / length: 5 to 6 feet long, about 200 to 600 pounds.
These bears are smaller than other bears, but they have very strong paws and long claws   probably used for climbing and catching prey.
Their territory / home ranges from 10 to 250 square miles, so it can be pretty big.

The males can mate at the age of 3, and the females have cubs around 5 years old.

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Top: A bear canister stores all scented items in the backcountry.
Bottom: Rocky campgrounds provide lockers to store food.
NPS

Bear Sightings

If you see a black bear, stop and do not run. Stay calm and pick up small children. Make lots of noise, shouting and clapping your hands. Back away slowly. Stand tall, but if you are attacked, fight back.

Food Storage

Black bears will eat almost anything. Most conflicts between bears and people are linked to careless handling of food or garbage. Once a bear has found food which is easily accessible, it will overcome its wariness of people and visit the site often.

If you are on the trail, keep food with you at all times and do not leave your pack unattended. At backcountry campsites, all food, cooking equipment, garbage and other scented items must be stored in a carry-in/carry-out bear-resistant food storage canister. This is required from April 1 to October 31 at all backcountry sites below treeline.

In campgrounds, all scented items as well as water containers and pet food must be stored in a closed vehicle or storage locker provided at the campground. Storage in tents, pop-up campers, sleeping bags or under tarps is prohibited. If left unattended, these items are subject to confiscation by park rangers. The only exception to these rules occur during food transport, preparation, eating and clean-up.

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Black Bears - Rocky Mountain National Park (U.S. National Park Service)

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If you see a black bear, stop and do not run. Stay calm and pick up small children. Make lots of noise, shouting and clapping your hands. Back away slowly. Stand tall, but if you are attacked, fight back. Black bears will eat almost anything.

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It rains an average of 30 inches. It can also range from 30 to 60 inches.

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Elevation: 7,000 to 11,000.
The tree is about 15 - 30 feet tall, so its a relatively short tree. Sometimes it has a strange shape because it's a flexible tree in a windy place. It usually is found on the out crops of rocky area's.

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Engelmann Spruce

Scientific name: Picea engelmannii

Habitat: 9000 ft.-11500 ft., (2700 m.-3450 m.). Thick dark green forests of primarily Engelmann spruce make up much of the subalpine ecosystem,

Characteristics: This tree species has a straight trunk and dense crown giving it a narrow tapering shape. Engelmann spruce can reach heights up 100 feet with a trunk diameter of 30 inches. Needles are attached singly to a twig, 1 inch long, with a sharp pointed tip. They are four-sided, which allows them to be rolled between the finger and thumb, a trick that does not work with the flat needles of the subalpine fir and the Douglas-fir. The bark appears plate-like in layers, relatively thin and reddish on the protected side of the tree, otherwise gray. Female cones are 1 to 2 inches long with very papery scales. Cones are tan to reddish and mostly clustered in the upper third of the tree.

Fun Facts: At the highest elevation of the subalpine ecosystem, Engelmann spruce forest margins have a ragged appearance and are fragmented into wind-sculpted tree islands called krummholz, a German word which means "crooked wood." Engelmann spruce are very cold tolerant withstanding winter temperatures as low as -60° C. These high subalpine trees may reach only 15 feet in height in extreme windy areas. Even though they appear stunted they can be over 1000 years old.

The Engelmann spruce exhibits similar needle color variation to that of wild Colorado blue spruce, and some trees can be just as "blue."

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Conifers - Rocky Mountain National Park (U.S. National Park Service)

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Scientific name: Picea engelmannii Habitat: 9000 ft.-11500 ft., (2700 m.-3450 m.). Thick dark green forests of primarily Engelmann spruce make up much of the subalpine ecosystem, Characteristics: This tree species has a straight trunk and dense crown giving it a narrow tapering shape.

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Since less snow is recorded each year, the Subalpine zone might not get enough water for the tree’s in the Life-zone to survive. Then the tree’s might die/stop growing. The soil is getting dryer so the plants that needed wet soil are dieing. trees are more vulnerable to pests when the wether is warm so that mean when there are warm winter temps that means the pest have more time to kill plants.

Climate change also has an increase in wildfires, which can affect the Subalpine zone by burning all of the tree’s down.

We also are having more intense droughts and is the 6th most fastest warming state.
However, our air quality is good and it doesn't change very much.

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Confronting Climate Change in New Mexico

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New Mexico is getting hotter. It's getting drier. Fundamental weather patterns are changing. The state must prepare for the consequences.

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some of the commen animals and black bears, mountain lions, deer, big horned sheep, coyotes, marmots, pika

Northern three toed woodpecker clark's nutcracker, grey jay, boreal owl, Northern flicker, sacramento mountain salamander, weasel.

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The chickarees, which is a type of squirrel, use old parts to pine cones from the tree’s, dig and put them at the base of a tree, and save it for winter. So they use the old pine cones from trees to feed themselves during winter. Humans use this ecosystem to hike, bike, ski, backpack and more.

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Some of the common plants are Engelmann Spruce, Limber pine, Harebell, and shrubby cinquefoil.
Woods rose fairy slipper, twinflower,  Colorado blue colobine, and

bristlecone piner.

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It’s usually 9,500 feet.

But it can range from 9,000 to 11,000

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Lots of fur and spruce trees.
It's also used for sheep grazing in a very narrow zone.
The habitat has a lot of evergreen trees as well, and it’s mostly green and or white, from snow. It also has grass.

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sacramento mountain salamander                          SB

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sacramento mountain salamander                          SB

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these little salamanders are usaly 6cm. they live in cold and damp places and only come to the surface when it is hubid outside or to get food.

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The boreal owl makes her nest out of cavities in tree’s

The nest that males make, they don’t go far from female nests, so they can mate easier.

These owls have large ears, so they can hear prey easier.

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This is a really cool owl check out the video 

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This is a really cool owl check out the video 

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWrHle1gzpY

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If you want to learn more about Subalpine plants

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If you want to learn more about Subalpine plants

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https://www.laspilitas.com/nature-of-california/communities/sub-alpine-forest/plants