Snowy Taiga

Snowy Taiga

Type	Snowy/Icy
Rarity	Rare
Temperature	-0.5
Structures	Igloos
Blocks	Grass Block Snow Grass Fern Large Fern Spruce Log Spruce Leaves
Data value	dec: 30 hex: 1E bin: 11110
Biome ID	snowy_taiga

The Snowy Taiga biome, known as the Cold Taiga biome before 1.13, is a rare taiga-type biome. It is the second-rarest non-variant biome in the game, after Mushroom Fields. It has three variations total, which are the coldest of Minecraft.

Description

Snowy taigas are quite similar to their snowless variants, featuring large numbers of spruce trees, rabbits and wolves. The main distinction, as the name implies, are the (stacked ^{[Bedrock Edition only]} ) snow layers that cover almost the entire landscape, save for the ground protected by the leaves of spruce trees. The terrain is also less flat than regular taigas, being hillier and more reminiscent of forest biomes. Snowy taigas usually generate bordering or within snowy tundra. The cold temperatures of the snowy taiga means any exposed (purple ^{[Bedrock Edition only]} ) water will freeze into ice, though lakes that generate within the taiga are often partially protected by the leaves of the trees, meaning lakes aren't usually completely frozen. Occasionally, igloos may generate within the trees, making the snowy taiga the only other biome aside from snowy tundras where igloos may generate.

Survival in snowy taiga can be difficult, as the copious amounts of snow can overwhelm beginners. This, coupled with hillier terrain compared to regular taigas, can make this biome tough to survive in, and the regular taiga should be preferred over snowy taiga unless one wants the snowy views.

Variants

Snowy taigas have two variations, for a total of three different biomes.

Snowy Taiga Hills

Snowy Taiga Hills

Type	Snowy/Icy
Rarity	Rare
Temperature	-0.5
Blocks	Grass Block Snow Grass Fern Large Fern Spruce Log Spruce Leaves
Data value	dec: 31 hex: 1F bin: 11111
Biome ID	snowy_taiga_hills

Like all other hills biomes, Snowy Taiga Hills (known as Cold Taiga Hills before 1.13) feature hillier, more erratic terrain. These hills are somewhat steeper than other hills biomes, making this variant more difficult for survival. Igloos will not generate in this biome, unlike the regular snowy taiga.

Snowy Taiga Mountains

Snowy Taiga Mountains

Type	Snowy/Icy
Rarity	Very rare
Temperature	-0.5
Blocks	Grass Block Snow Grass Fern Large Fern Spruce Log Spruce Leaves
Data value	dec: 158 hex: 9E bin: 10011110
Biome ID	snowy_taiga_mountains

The rare Snowy Taiga Mountains, known as Cold Taiga M before 1.13, feature much steeper terrain than the hills. Similarly to the Taiga Mountains, this variant can reach quite high elevations, but the snowy taiga mountains often go higher than regular taiga mountains. The steep elevations make this biome quite difficult for survival. Igloos will also not generate here.

History

Alpha
v1.2.0			?		Added true biomes, including snowy taigas.
Beta
1.8			?		As part of a biome overhaul, taigas were no longer snowy.
Official release
1.1			?		Re-added snow to taigas.
1.7.2			13w36a		New snowless Taiga biome added, along with variants and many other biomes. The snowless taiga became the new default taiga, and the old snowy taiga was renamed "Cold Taiga" and made much rarer.
1.13			18w16a		Cleaned up several biome names, mainly by adding missing spaces and changing "Biome M" for "Mutated Biome".
			18w19a		Names of several biomes are changed. The exact name changes are listed here.
			pre5		Changed several biome IDs, mostly to comply with their names, listed here.
Pocket Edition Alpha
0.1.0					Added biomes, including snowy taiga.
0.9.0			build 1		Added snowless taiga and variants, making the snowy taiga much rarer.
Legacy Console Edition
TU5	CU1	1.00	Patch 1		Biomes overhauled, removing taigas.
TU9					Re-added (snowy) taigas.
TU31	CU19	1.22	Patch 3		Added snowless taiga and variants, making the snowy taiga much rarer.

Gallery

• 

  An igloo in a snowy taiga, along with a begging wolf.

• 

  Another view of snowy taiga mountains.

See also

• Taiga
• Snowy Tundra