I only know European beech and not American Beech. But the habit, leaf shape and the leaf retention look like Fagus.

I agree with beech. There is a pleated beech hedge not far from my house that holds it's leaves all winter. Makes a pretty impressive privacy screen for a deciduous tree!!

Agree with Beech. That landscape your looking at is my idea of Heaven - big rocks, some snow, and a hardwood forest in the mountains ! I have several in my plot that I planted 20 yrs ago. Now 30-40' tall. The birds love to take shelter in the winter foliage. The new spring buds push the old leaf off and the tree will shed all its leaves in a few days.

Even here some leaves are retained through winter.

IME young American beeches do this. We have a number growing in the woods, and as older trees they drop more of their leaves, but the young trees may keep many to most of their leaves for the winter. I love the color contrast it adds to our almost entirely grayscale landscape in winter, along with the darker and grayer white oak leaves.

Loved all of these observations from near and far about this sight that has captivated me. If there were a way to keep these trees in arrested maturity, they would make a delicate but effective screen.

GG's description of a beech hedge in winter is an example of keeping the plant in arrested maturity. Beech hedges, along with hornbeam, are widely used here, especially in larger and country gardens because they provide a visual and wind barrier even in winter. But you do lose the delicate branching habit.