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Most of the year, winter rules the alpine life zone with a thick blanket of snow. The snow is an important source for all of Colorado's rivers. Only for a very short time does it have warm enough weather to melt the snow for the ground to show (mid July to early September). In fact, some snow may stay on the mountain sides all year round.
Weather up here is really cold, wet, and windy. The weather can change from sunny and calm to stormy really fast! Since the alpine life zone is above tree line (above where trees no longer grow) storms can be very dangerous. First, there are not many places to hide from the wind, snow, and rain. Secondly, the land is steep, rocky, and slick. Most importantly, you have a lot higher chance of getting struck by lightning since you may be the tallest object and you are so close to the clouds, click on extreme weather to learn more.
For humans, the alpine can be a very dangerous place between the lightning, steep mountain sides, avalanches, snow blindness, freezing temperatures, and quick changing dangerous windy weather. In addition you can get altitude sickness and can get sun burned a whole lot easier and faster.
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