flanks of the mountain flow into the Big Sandy River valley which makes a long journey south to Alamo Lake before travelling west along the Bill Williams River and into the southern portion of Lake Havasu near Parker Dam. Ecology Flora The Hualapai Mountains contain a dramatic range of plant communities depending on the elevation, slope direction, and microclimate conditions of a given area. These lists are not a complete archive of plant species in these plant communities, but demonstrate the dominant plant varieties which are characteristic to the landscape. Plants List Source: Desert/xeric shrublands Dominating the landscape surrounding the Hualapai Mountain Sky Island, and at the lowest portion of its foothills, is the Mojave Desert which ranges from altitudes as high as , and as low as below sea level, at Badwater Basin in Death Valley National Park, California. (approximately away as the crow flies). This list includes plant species which are native and predominant throughout the environment in and around the Hualapai Mountain foothills: creosote bush palo verde mesquite beaver-tail cactus saguaro cactus barrel cactus cholla (jumping) cactus various species of yucca agave whitehorn bur-sage cat's claw crucifixion thorn a variety of perennial grasses Grasslands The most prominent grassland communities in the area are found on the east side of the range, across Big Sandy River Valley up to the foot of the Hualapai Mountains. Dominant species of perennial grass may include: "blue", "black", "hairy", and "side-oats" grama (Yes, you read that properly.) tobosa ring muhly three-awn Interior chapparel scrubland A landscape that is dominated by short, woody shrubs, especially on south-facing mountain slopes, and areas which are recovering from wildfires. This plant community makes up the buffer between the harsh desert below and the fragile forest-environments above. May include the following plant varieties/species: scrub oak manzanita silk tassle Apache plume cat's claw sparse, intermixed juniper cliffrose Grass and other ground-cover plants may be found in some varying quantities, but are generally less prominent in this plant community. Piñon-Juniper woodlands Pinyon-juniper woodlands are nurse plants of ecological facilitation between chapparel scrubland and forested environments at higher elevations. Juniper tends to be more predominant at lower elevations, while Piñon Pine grow more vigorously at slightly higher elevations. Other flora varieties of this plant community may include: winterfat cliffrose silktassel goldenrod snakeweed threadleaf groundsel Mixed perennial grass in limited quantities. As the conifer stands develop their canopy, grass and other