 The ecoregion slices through the Altai at the sub-alpine elevations, leaving out the alpine peaks above, and the lakes and valleys below.To the south of the Altai are the cold, arid regions of central Asia, and to the north are the forests and wetlands of Siberia.Because of its altitude distance from the ocean, the ecoregion has a cold semi-arid climate (Köppen climate classification Bsk).