Valley of Many Seasons

High up above the clouds in the Devil's Teeth Range lies a plateau whose Ursae residents call the Valley of Many Seasons. The valley is protected to the southeast by a tall, granite peak, while it is otherwise surrounded by a series of small ridges.   The valley gets its name from the extremely variable weather it experiences throughout the year. During the spring, the valley is partially flooded by icemelt from the nearby peak and ridges, allowing for wildflowers to bloom. Throughout the summer, the temperature varies significantly, with cold mornings while the valley sits in the shadow of the mountain, to baking afternoons in the warm sun. In the fall, the valley is buffetted by massive storms, which are remenants of the ocean gales felt by much of the coast during this time of year. And finally, the winters are known for their extreme cold. In addition to this, the peak and ridges result in strange wind patterns throughout the valley, causing weather to collect and disperse erratically, such that one could experience many kinds of weather during a single day!   Despite these conditions, the people of the valley are content with their way of life. Their houses have been dug into the earth itself, using the natural ridges to their advantage to build homes insulated against the extreme weather. They change their diets throughout the year, using the spring melt to collect wild berries and plants, the warm summers to allow their Devilbacks to graze, and the cool falls and winters to grow mushrooms deep in their mountain homes.