Mountains

Mountains (called extreme hills $$) are common cold biomes. There are four (nine ) used variants and one unused variant in the biome family.

Description
Mountain biomes feature steep terrain and reach higher elevations than any other biome in the game other than the shattered variants of savanna biomes. The surface is made mostly of grass, stone and gravel, and oak and spruce trees may grow here. The standard mountains biome generally peaks at roughly Y-level 110, though other variants can go higher. As the climate is cold, rainfall changes to snowfall above approximately Y-level 92, and snow layers form on blocks above that point, along with water freezing into ice. The grass and leaves are an aqua color. Llamas may spawn in mountain biomes; they are the only places where llamas can spawn aside from savannas. Additionally, emerald ore exclusively generates in mountain biomes below Y-level 32, and infested stone "veins" generate below sea level. The snow layers are stacked.

Due to the terrain generation algorithm, mountain biomes have some unusual features and formations compared to other biomes. Floating blocks and even small floating islands are common, as are overhangs and large waterfalls (occasionally, even lavafalls). This can create some impressive views at times. These oddities are magnified in shattered savannas.

Survival in mountain biomes can be challenging to beginners, due to the heights often risking heavy fall damage and higher elevations bringing snow and ice, but can be fairly easy once acclimated to the area, and a flat-enough space is found or made for shelter. Wood can be a bit scarce in certain stony areas, but the Wooded Mountains variant has a more plentiful supply, and frequently generates within normal mountains. Llamas can also serve as useful pack animals when tamed. Water must be protected by light or a roof to prevent it from freezing when above the snowfall line, however, and the player must be aware of their surroundings to avoid falling off steep cliffs, especially when fighting hostile mobs. Care should also be taken when mining in mountain biomes, due to infested stone occasionally generating; the player might get swarmed with silverfish if they're not prepared.

Mountain biomes generate within clusters of lush and cold biomes, commonly found next to taiga, forest, or plains biomes.

During Minecraft Live it was announced that mountain generation would be improved with powdered snow on top.

Variants
There are a total of five (ten mountain variant biomes, including one whose generation has been discontinued in new worlds.

Mountains
The Mountains biome is the normal mountain variant. This biome features the standard stone and dirt terrain with sporadically generated oak and spruce trees. As in all mountain variants, llamas can spawn here, and silverfish-infested blocks and emerald ore generate naturally.

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Wooded Mountains
The Wooded Mountains variant features significantly higher elevations than the regular mountains, peaking at about Y-level 140. Spruce and oak trees generate much more often on the peaks, forming a small forest or grove. While the increased wood supply can be useful, the taller peaks increase the risk of fatal fall damage, especially if this variant generates on the edge of a mountain range and border a river or another low-elevation biome. $$, terrain elevation in wooded mountains is same as in regular mountains biome. This biome also generates standalone as a thick separation when a desert is bordering a snowy biome.

Wooded mountains use the same mob spawning chances as mountains.

Gravelly Mountains
The Gravelly Mountains variant replaces the top few layers of stone and grass with gravel across its landscape. Its peaks are slightly higher than the regular mountains, though not as high as the wooded mountains. $$, terrain elevation in gravelly mountains is same as in regular mountains biome. Due to the gravel replacing most of the grass, trees generate far less often, making this variant relatively barren. Players should be careful when surfacing from underground in this biome, as the top layers of gravel can pose a suffocation hazard.

Gravelly mountains use the same mob spawning chances as mountains.

Gravelly Mountains+
Gravelly Mountains+ is a rare variant that is similar to the gravelly mountains but features the much taller peaks of the Wooded Mountains. The peaks are still covered in gravel, however, and large valleys often generate among the peaks. $$, terrain elevation in gravelly mountains+ is same as in regular mountains biome. Trees are still quite sparse in this biome, making this a difficult biome for survival, due to its barrenness being combined with steep terrain. This biome also generates standalone as a thick separation when a desert lakes is bordering a snowy biome.

Gravelly mountains+ use the same mob spawning chances as mountains.

Mountain Edge
The Mountain Edge variant is a currently unused variant. Similarly to the jungle edge biome, it was a technical biome intended to provide a smooth transition from other biomes to the mountains. It is similar to the taiga biome, but with few oak trees. The terrain was gentler and not as steep as the normal mountains, with oak and spruce trees growing. This biome was phased out with the Java Edition 1.7.2 update and no longer generates naturally, though can still be seen using the Buffet world option or addons.

Mountain edges use the same mob spawning chances as mountains.

Upcoming
There are 5 additional height-dependent sub-biomes which make up a mountains biome. Several biomes can occupy the same X and Z coordinates, varying only along the Y level. Coal, iron, and emerald ores can be found at higher altitude than other biomes. These biomes are bordered by forest or flower forest and do not generate stone shores when next to an ocean (forest will just cut to ocean instead).

Mountain Meadow
The mountain meadow generates between about Y-level 100 to 140 on a mountain. Sweet berry bushes can be found here, as well as cornflowers and dandelions. Trees do not naturally generate here.

Mountain Grove
The mountain grove generates between about Y-level 110 to 140 on a mountain, which generates a forest of spruce trees on the lower slopes of a mountain. Rabbits spawn in this biome. The surface is also covered with snow, snow blocks and powder snow.

Snowy Slopes
The snowy slopes generates between about Y-level 140 to 170 on a mountain. It is also covered in snow, snow blocks and powder snow. Goats spawn in this biome.

Lofty Peaks
The lofty peaks biome is one of the two highest mountain biomes, which generates above Y-level 170 on a mountain. Whether the lofty peaks or snow capped peaks biome generates depends on temperature. This biome will only generate on mountains that are tall enough to generate it. This biome is covered with snow blocks.

Snow Capped Peaks
The snow capped peaks biome is one of the two highest mountain biomes, which generates above Y-level 170 on a mountain. Whether the lofty peaks or snow capped peaks biome generates depends on temperature. This biome will only generate on mountains that are tall enough to generate it. This biome is not only covered by snow blocks, but with ice and packed ice as well.

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