It seemed like it was a rainforest, since there was clearly a lot of water around. Yet, I usually associate rainforests with warm temperatures, like you would find in the Brazilian Amazon. Since the forest is at a high elevation it is often shrouded in clouds and battered by strong wind. Both of these factors combine with the altitude to make the peak of the mountain at least forty degrees cooler than the base of the mountain. I have only been in one place like this before and it was Juneau, Alaska, which is surrounded by rainforests that were similiar to what I encountered here.
No one lives in these mountains and it is easy to see why. It is a miracle that peope were able to build a road up this mountain as it is easily among the steepest I have ever seen. The road clings to the edge of the mountain and I feared that any slip up or accident by the driver would send us or someone else plunging hundreds of feet down. The difficulty with transportation alone makes it extremely difficult to live on the mountain, but the climate is even more challenging. The powerful wind and constant moisture in the air means that no crops or farm animal could thrive in this environment. As a result, people have no reason to live there.
The mountain itself and the climate are two major problems for people living in this environment. Another major issue is earthquakes, which can utterly destroy or cover the single winding road going up and down the mountain. Since earthquakes are common here, that is a major concern.
