M331Ah Beartooth Mountains

Landscape Characteristics:

Steep, dissected mountains and narrow valleys that formed in gneiss and schist. Elevations range from 6500 to 11300 feet. Drainage density is moderate to high. Some lakes occur at higher elevations.

Climate:

Mean annual precipitation ranges from 40 to 110 inches, about 55 percent falling as snow. The soil temperature and moisture regimes are cryic and udic.

Potential Vegetation:

Douglas-fir forest/Western spruce-fir forest with some Alpine meadows and barren at higher elevations.

Relationships of Dominant Map Unit Components:

Landform Geology Soil Taxa
Mountainsides/ridgetops Gneiss/schist Cryochrepts

Disturbance and Land Use:

The primary natural disturbances are fire, insects, and disease. Land use is predominantly livestock grazing, timber harvest, and mining.