The Blue Mountains are a set of mountains on the east side of Jamaica. The highest peak stretches to about 7,402 feet or 2,256 meters and the mountains get on average 200 inches of rain a year. In the winter, the temperature gets as low as 45 degrees Fahrenheit but frost and snow can still be found on the mountains. The temperature is perfect to grow coffee and it is known as one of the most expensive coffees in the world. Villages live in the mountains harvesting the crops. These villages were built around the time when Jamaica was taken over by Christopher Columbus on one of his many voyages. The Taino people, the indigenous tribe that lived in Jamaica, fled through the Blue Mountains to escape the Spanish. Later when the Spanish brought enslaved people from Africa to do their bidding, some escaped also using the mountains as their escape route because it would make them harder to follow. These enslaved escapees were sometimes called Maroons. Overall, as the Blue Mountains are one of the tallest features of Jamaica, they are used to protect and provide for those who live there.