Forrested Mountains don't exist

[BigFreekinGoblinoid]

Well, of course they do. But apparently not in the realms of fantasy. I was just thinking about all the campaign/setting maps I have seen, and none that I recall have forrests that cover even a portion of a mountain range.

I live near the Sierra Nevada mountain range, which granted is very different than say, the Rockies, but is this really such a unique phenomenon? Can you point me to any examples of camplaign maps that have trees on their mountains instead of just rocks?

 

[Crothian]

There is a D&D basic trail map that I have that has forests on its mountsins.

 

[Michael Morris]

There's a limit to how much information a map can convey before it gets confusing. It's difficult to convey "forested mountains" sinde the trees hide the hills. Just a convention of map making I suppose. I don't even bother to show vegetation density on the same view as topography - it's too confusing.

 

[Tonguez]

Its because mountains in Fantasy are Epic and that means they are exceedingly high so there is significant area above the forestline for characters to have adventures in.
Of course there are forest lower down but the gradual slopes at the base of fantasy mountains blend well into the foothills and lowlends so that it is almost imperceptible until you reach the snowline where suddenly the slope runs almost verticle

 

[BiggusGeekus]

Well, of course they do. But apparently not in the realms of fantasy. I was just thinking about all the campaign/setting maps I have seen, and none that I recall have forrests that cover even a portion of a mountain range.

I live near the Sierra Nevada mountain range, which granted is very different than say, the Rockies, but is this really such a unique phenomenon? Can you point me to any examples of camplaign maps that have trees on their mountains instead of just rocks?

http://www.parentsbasementgames.com/areamap.pdf

Warning: that's a 6MB map

Our maps were drawn by Dr. Kulander, formerly of the US Gelolgical Survey. Our world is 100% geologist approved. The smaller mountians are forested, the big mountian range in the middle obviously is the epic fantasy type that's above the treeline.

That map is freakin' gorgeous. I love looking at it.

 

[Crothian]

sweet map.....

 

[Ghostwind]

http://www.parentsbasementgames.com/areamap.pdf

Our maps were drawn by Dr. Kulander, formerly of the US Gelolgical Survey. Our world is 100% geologist approved. The smaller mountians are forested, the big mountian range in the middle obviously is the epic fantasy type that's above the treeline.

Wow, that is some map. I love it.

I think most of the reason why you don't see forested mountains on fantasy maps is because they are meant to be somewhat rudimentary in nature. Think about some of the older maps in your history books drawn during the Middle Ages and periods of colonization. The symbols used were basic and meant to signify a general idea of what to expect rather than a precise factual account. Bare mountain symbols are used to indicate a mountain or range in general and not whether there are no trees upon it. Think of it more like basic cartography - giving the reader of the map only the information he needs to comprehend it clearly.

 

[aco175]

Wow, great map. You were not kidding about the download time. I realy like the way the layers build up the terrain. If every map had this kind of detail they could place the forests on the mountains.

 

[MrFilthyIke]

Can you point me to any examples of camplaign maps that have trees on their mountains instead of just rocks?

Camplaign, camplaign, camplaign...is that all anyone does these days?

On a serious note, doesn't every nature show have forested mountains in the background? Except for the snow-capped ones?

 

[Krieg]

Wow, that is some map. I love it.

I think most of the reason why you don't see forested mountains on fantasy maps is because they are meant to be somewhat rudimentary in nature. Think about some of the older maps in your history books drawn during the Middle Ages and periods of colonization. The symbols used were basic and meant to signify a general idea of what to expect rather than a precise factual account. Bare mountain symbols are used to indicate a mountain or range in general and not whether there are no trees upon it. Think of it more like basic cartography - giving the reader of the map only the information he needs to comprehend it clearly.

What he said.