The highest mountain ranges are formed by geological forces that raise the earth' s crust: two continent-bearing tectonic plates of comparable density collide and crumple upward, causing a thickening of the crust  The erosive forces of wind and precipitation inexorably wear these mountains down
Yet the highest mountain ranges tend to be found in places where these erosive forces are most prevalent
Patterns of extreme wind and precipitation often result from the dramatic differences in elevation commonly found in the highest mountain ranges.