Subarctic tundra

[JimPowell]

The question came up this weekend as to whether or not the Beartooth subarctic tundra had frozen ground under it. The term subarctic tundra seems to be equivalent to alpine tundra.

No where can I find that alpine tundra is defined as having permafrost under it. The term “tundra” means without trees. In Colorado the tundra is that area above 11,500 feet. In the Beartooth Mountains, I would assume that it is the area above 9500 feet and is defined by the types of plants that grow there. The Beartooth Plateau has 422 species of alpine plants.

For further reading:
Google Search
A survey of alpine agaricales in the Rocky Mountains List of the alpine plants
Alpine tundra in the rockies