[1] Although first described in 1892, as of 2019 the species is known from fewer than 20 small occurrences spread throughout high elevation sites across Colusa, Glenn, Lake, Mendocino, Tehama, and Trinity counties.

It grows in sites which alternate between hot, dry summer conditions and snow cover in winter.

Epilobium nivium grows in small, isolated colonies where it typically forms the dominant species in its microhabitat.

[5] The Snow Mountain area is composed of late Jurassic age undersea volcanoes which erupted from the ocean floor.

[8] Geologic maps of the Castle Peak area show those rocks are mostly sedimentary, specifically radiolarian chert and metagraywacke.

However, there are occasional intrusions of diabase in this area, so E. nivium may be restricted to outcrops of mafic igneous rock on Castle Peak.