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Cascade Crest Exhibit
 (Alpine Habitat)
The exhibit, a replica of an alpine area in the Cascade Mountains, features mountain goats and a simulated snow cave. Cascade Crest is actually the first phase of a much larger exhibit, The Great Northwest.
Craggy basalt rocks, talus slopes and a twisted tree or two, the blue sky reflected in the still waters of a cirque lake. Scenes like this occur all along the crest of the Cascades where dwarfed plants must grow quickly and animals must feed fast in the few clear days of summer. You'll see how mountain goats are built for climbing and discover marmots' and pikas' secrets for survival in this harsh habitat. You'll learn how, despite this ecosystem's ability to withstand blasting winds and freezing temperatures, it is easily damaged and may take decades to recover from human impact.
Mountain Goats
Stocky white mountain goats nibble at grass growing through the rocky slope or rest on basalt ledges warmed by the sun. As you'll learn from a life-sized, touchable sculpture of a nanny and kid, these animals are exceptionally well adapted to their habitat withmuscular bodies, thick wool to keep out cold winds, and short sturdy legs and hooves with pads on the bottom for better traction on the rocks. Even their feeding style is suited to the alpine. Mountain goats nibble here and there but do not overgraze plants that grow very little in the short alpine summers.
Snow Cave Exhibit
Beside the main path, a large snowbank spills out across the trail. The sounds of whistling wind and dripping, melting snow lure you into a cave in the snow. Inside, there's a pile of snow camping gear and the remains of someone's lunch. You can tell by the field notes, magnifying lens and containers of insects that the gear belongs to a biologist. According to the notes, these insects actually live in snowbanks. They're part of an ecosystem based on a special kind of algae so small that 2.5 million of them will fit in a teaspoon! If you look carefully, you'll see a marmot, asleep after feasting on pilfered bits of the biologist's lunch!
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