 Permafrost is everywhere on the higher slopes but there are patches of alpine tundra plant life at lower elevations, including mountain avens ("Dryas octopetala") and "Erica"s such as "Vaccinium vitis-idaea" and "Cassiope tetragona".Animals of the area include large brown bears of Denali National Park and the southwestern coast near Iliamna Lake and Kamishak Bay.Other mammals include mountain goat, caribou, moose, Dall sheep, North American beaver and snowshoe hare.