Pre-contact, jade was one of the strongest materials available and was used in the making of a number of necessary items, including tools, weaponry, knives, and beads.

Gale winds and snow from storms that blow in from the coast interrupt this below-freezing period, causing temperatures to rise from 0 °F to 20 °F or higher.

Precipitation is heaviest during the summer, bringing warmer temperatures along with common convective showers, in which the intensity of the rain quickly changes.

[5] The vegetation in the Baird Mountains is surprisingly varied for an area just above the Arctic Circle, and over 360 plant species are endemic.

A network of different patterns of forests, tundra and plants lining the coasts vary depending on their elevation, climate, soil and fire history.