 There's a natural phenomenon going on behind me. The trees grow up one side of the ridge but do not continue to grow on the other side. What could be going on here? This is a result of north versus south facing slopes. Being that Wyoming is located in the northern hemisphere, the sun travels more in the southern part of the sky. So the south facing slopes receive more solar radiation making them hotter and drier. The plants seen here are typically shrubs and grasses. Because of snow cover and because they receive less solar radiation, north facing slopes retain more soil moisture. The plants on these slopes are typically trees such as pines, spruce, furs and aspen. These microclimate differences also influence the wildlife which use these areas. In winter, big game animals such as deer and elk choose south facing slopes because forage is more available and not located under snow. During summer months, many wildlife choose north facing slopes due to adequate cover and cooler temperatures. No, it is not magic. The trees are on the north facing slope due to an increase in soil moisture. While the dry south facing slopes are covered in grasses and shrubs. From the University of Wyoming Extension, I'm Wendy Kelly, Exploring the Nature of Wyoming.