▁especially ▁during ▁the ▁winter ▁months ▁in ▁the ▁form ▁of ▁snow fall . ▁Due ▁to ▁its ▁temper ate ▁climate ▁and ▁proxim ity ▁to ▁the ▁Pacific ▁Ocean , ▁areas ▁west ▁of ▁the ▁Cas cade ▁C rest ▁very ▁rarely ▁experience ▁temper atures ▁below ▁ ▁or ▁above ▁. ▁During ▁winter ▁months , ▁weather ▁is ▁usually ▁cloud y , ▁but , ▁due ▁to ▁high ▁pressure ▁systems ▁over ▁the ▁Pacific ▁Ocean ▁that ▁intens ify ▁during ▁summer ▁months , ▁there ▁is ▁often ▁little ▁or ▁no ▁cloud ▁cover ▁during ▁the ▁summer . ▁Because ▁of ▁mar itime ▁influence , ▁snow ▁tends ▁to ▁be ▁wet ▁and ▁heavy , ▁resulting ▁in ▁high ▁a val anche ▁danger . ▁ ▁Ge ology ▁ ▁The ▁North ▁C asc ades ▁features ▁some ▁of ▁the ▁most ▁rug ged ▁top ography ▁in ▁the ▁Cas cade ▁Range ▁with ▁c rag gy ▁pe aks , ▁rid ges , ▁and ▁deep ▁gla cial ▁valle ys . ▁Ge ological ▁events ▁occurr ing ▁many ▁years ▁ago ▁created ▁the ▁diverse ▁top ography ▁and ▁dr astic ▁elev ation ▁changes ▁over ▁the ▁Cas cade ▁Range ▁leading ▁to ▁the ▁various ▁climate ▁differences . ▁These ▁climate ▁differences ▁lead ▁to ▁veget ation ▁variety ▁defining ▁the ▁e cor eg ions ▁in ▁this ▁area . ▁ ▁The ▁history ▁of ▁the ▁formation ▁of ▁the ▁Cas cade ▁Mountains ▁dates ▁back ▁millions ▁of ▁years ▁ago ▁to ▁the ▁late ▁E oc ene ▁E po ch . ▁With ▁the ▁North ▁American ▁Pl ate ▁overrid ing ▁the ▁Pacific ▁Pl ate , ▁episodes ▁of ▁vol can ic ▁ igne ous ▁activity ▁pers isted . ▁ ▁In ▁addition , ▁small ▁fragments