PACIFIC MONARDELLA (white to lavender)
(0.2 mile)
62 The sudden change in topography indicates the east edge of CHAOS JUMBLES ... the huge landslide from nearby Chaos Crags.
This upper edge of the hummocky rock debris is thin, and lies on a relatively flat undersurface. As a result, the forest trees grow normally here, in contrast to the dwarf forest to be found on the main mass of thick, sloping, and very porous Jumbles.
The pale yellow-green, moss-like material on the tree trunks is called staghorn lichen. It is not a moss, but is a union of two plants growing together; a fungus, giving it form and body, and an alga, growing inside and manufacturing food for both from the air and sunshine. Lichens do not in any way harm the trees, and grow as well on dead material.
(0.6 mile)
63 The pink mountain mass to the south is CHAOS CRAGS. It is composed of three plug volcanos of a lava known as dacite. This material was rapidly pushed up in a molten state, much as one would squeeze paste from a tube. As the lava plugs cooled and hardened, steam explosions took place from the base of the cliff, undermining it and causing at least three tremendous avalanches estimated as occurring about 1700 years ago, 700 years ago and the most recent in about the year 1690. Due to the small amount of soil and porous rock, many of the stunted trees in this Dwarf Forest are over 200 years old.
(1.1 mile)
