I learned all about it when I was watching television the other day. There were some commercials about Fort Davis electricity providers and then BAM, right there, a special came on talking about this legendary structure. Over 30 years ago, Mount St. Helens erupted in a catastrophic event that claimed the lives of all the creatures inhabiting the area and some notable human bystanders just enjoying the sights. It was a tragic catastrophe, but it also hit the reset button of epic proportions and, slowly but surely, life has returned to this unpredictable location and creatures are starting to reclaim their home.

New and exciting evolutionary species of frogs and amphibians are rising from the ashes, having none of the ailments or defects of their predecessors and the ecosystem, as a whole, has shifted greatly with more prey and less predators dominating this volatile peak. If nothing else, Mount St. Helens is the quintessential example of life after death – creation born from destruction.

(1) The Lower Selva (262 – 1,312 ft.), and
(2) the Upper Selva (1,312 – 3,300 ft.). These are regions of tropical forest. Farming is limited here.
(3) Kichwa (7,546 – 11,483 ft.) is a land of hills and valleys where grains, maize, and a goosefoot seed product called quinoa are grown.
(4) Suni (11,483- 13,123 ft.) is also a valleys region. It was here that man first learned to grow the potato plant.
(5) Puna (13,123 – 15,748 ft.) is mostly grasslands. Four members of the camel family” the llama, the alpaca, the guanaco, and the vicua” graze here, of which the first two have been raised for their milk, meat, and furs for thousands of years.
(6) The Janca (15,748 – 22,205 ft.) is the highest region. The air is cold and thin, and the few plant and animals that live here are well adapted to the climate.

Unfortunately for the earth quite a bit of damage has been done and both present and future generations will have to live with the consequences of a planet that is only getting warmer by the day.

Aside from the satellite images that have been taken showing the Himalayan glaciers shrinking by the decade, there are still photographs that have been taken by inhabitants of the region that are proof positive that the Himalayas are indeed shrinking.

The main cause of this shrinkage is the fact that the globe is getting warmer due to all the green house gases that are being emitted on a daily basis. From automobiles, to coal plants and even nuclear plants, the planet is experiencing soaring temperatures that are causing the ice caps on mountains to melt.

In short, the Himalayas are shrinking and unless each individual plays their part in order to reduce these emissions then this is a trend that is likely to continue for years to come.

Firstly, these mountain ranges are home to creatures that are adept at conserving their energy by shifting their hunting or scavenging tactics. As an example, in the hot deserts, most of these creatures leave the food hunting to the evening hours when the temperatures are much cooler.

On the other hand, there is the flora that also has ingenious methods of conserving energy and any water they may have accumulated. As an example, there are plants that conserve water by having a thick wax coating that does not allow any water to evaporate.

Additionally, there are other plants that prefer to acquire their nutrients, including water, from insects. These plants are rather fascinating because they have the capacity to attract the insects they feed on, using sight and scent, and then trap them in one way or the other.

In short, desert mountain range flora and fauna is as diverse as any other on the planet with the only difference being their exceptional capacity to hold on to the little nutrients they have managed to find.

The highest point in the world is indisputably the summit of Mount Everest, which stands at 8,850 meters, that is, 29,035 feet above sea level. This infamous Himalayan peak has claimed the lives of 219 mountaineers and although it is often said that nearby K2 is tougher to climb, Mt. Everest is still the summit every climber dreams of reaching.

The title of world’s tallest peak, however, is bestowed upon Mauna Kea in Hawaii. While its summit only stands at 4,205 meters or 13,796 feet above sea level, some 4645 meters below Mt. Everest, if measured from the mountain island’s beginnings on the ocean floor, Mauna Kea can actually be argued to stand some 10,000 meters tall. This argument only stands because Mauna Kea is both an island and a mountain.

With the limitations of human endurance at great depths, there is unlikely to be an attempt by either a mountaineer or a scuba diver to climb Mauna Kea’s total height, from the ocean floor to summit.