subalpine

adjective

sub·​al·​pine ˌsəb-ˈal-ˌpīn 

1

: of or relating to the region about the foot and lower slopes of the Alps

2

: of, relating to, or inhabiting high upland slopes and especially the zone just below the timberline

Examples of subalpine in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The two main tarns on this trail are flanked by subalpine meadows with a variety of shrubs and wildflowers that change colors in the fall. —Graham Averill, Outside Online, 16 Sep. 2024

One of the marquee drives in America’s national park system, the two-lane Tioga Road bisects Yosemite’s alpine center, passing through subalpine meadows and forests of lodgepole pine and juniper. —Paul Rogers, The Mercury News, 11 June 2024

The out-and-back trail to Chasm Lake is 8.4 miles and requires a steady climb through a subalpine forest and into the alpine tundra. —Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 8 Apr. 2024

Ecosystem projects that improve bighorn sheep habitat also benefit high-country mule deer, and elk, and fragile subalpine vegetation at the headwaters of the West’s major rivers. —Andrew McKean, Outdoor Life, 13 Mar. 2024

With the 415-square-mile site straddling the Continental Divide, visitors are treated to a range of ecosystems and terrains, from sprawling valleys with summertime wildflowers to lush subalpine forests with dense evergreen trees and alpine tundras with dwarfed plants and wide open viewpoints. —Rachel Chang, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Dec. 2023

Traffic patterns aside, Tioga Road’s reopening is a relief for high country lovers eager for easy access to the subalpine meadows and blue lakes nestled between granite domes and towering lodgepole pines. —Cari Spencer, Los Angeles Times, 21 July 2023

Washington, Mount Rainier National Park The Trail: Skyline Trail This is by far the best hike for getting up close and personal with the majestic beauty of Mount Rainier and experiencing the subalpine delights of Paradise Valley. —Sunset Magazine, 30 June 2023

Fine-dining time Rupert’s at Hotel McCall, 1101 N. 3rd St., is one of the most popular dining destinations around these subalpine parts. —James Patrick Kelly, idahostatesman, 18 Jan. 2018

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1656, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing subalpine

• subalpine fir

Rhymes for subalpine

• acridine
• alkaline
• andesine
• anodyne
• anticline
• arginine
• asinine
• atropine
• benzidine
• borderline
• byzantine
• calamine