Editing Appalachian Trail (section)

==Geography==
[[File:Appalachian map.svg|thumb|Diagram of the [[Appalachian Mountain system]]]]
There are no subalpine regions between Mount Rogers in [[Virginia]] and [[Mount Greylock]] in [[Massachusetts]], mainly because the trail stays below {{convert|3000|ft|m}} from Shenandoah National Park in Virginia to Mount Greylock. But Mount Greylock has a large subalpine region, the only such forest in Massachusetts, extending down to {{convert|3000|ft|m}}, which in the south would be far from the subalpine cutoff. This is especially low because Greylock is exposed to prevailing westerly winds, as the summits along its ridgeline rise about {{convert|200|to|650|ft|m}} higher than any other peak in Massachusetts. Farther north, several peaks in Vermont reach into the subalpine zone, the bottom of which steadily descends as one proceeds northward, so that by the [[White Mountains (New Hampshire)|White Mountains]] in [[New Hampshire]], it often occurs well below {{convert|3000|ft|m}}. At [[Mount Moosilauke]], which summits at {{convert|4802|ft|m}}, the first [[alpine climate|alpine]] environment on the trail is reached, where only thin, sporadic flora are interspersed with bare rocks. Between the two regions is the [[krummholz]] region, where stunted trees grow with their branches oriented away from the winter's prevailing northwest wind, giving the appearance of flags; they are sometimes called "flag trees". This region resembles lowland terrain hundreds of miles north in Canada. It also contains many endangered and threatened species. The trail has been rerouted over New Hampshire's [[Presidential Range]] so the [[Appalachian Mountain Club]] can protect certain plant life. The alpine cutoff in the Whites is generally between {{convert|4200|and|4800|ft|m}}. Mountains traversed by the A.T. above treeline include [[Mount Moosilauke]], several miles along the [[Franconia Range]] and along the [[Presidential Range]]. In the Presidentials, the trail climbs as high as {{convert|6288|ft}} on [[Mount Washington (New Hampshire)|Mount Washington]] and spends about {{convert|13|mi|km}} continuously above treeline, in the largest alpine environment in the United States east of the [[Rocky Mountains]].{{cn|date=August 2024}}

The segments of the trail through [[Pennsylvania]] are so rocky that hikers call the region "Rocksylvania".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.post-gazette.com/life/recreation/2015/07/02/From-the-archives-July-9-1995-Rocksylvania-is-a-real-boot-buster/stories/201507020010|title=Rocksylvania is a real boot-buster|first=Don|last=Hopey|website=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette|publisher=PG Publishing Co., Inc|date=July 9, 1995|access-date=February 3, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160118204902/http://www.post-gazette.com/life/recreation/2015/07/02/From-the-archives-July-9-1995-Rocksylvania-is-a-real-boot-buster/stories/201507020010|archive-date=January 18, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> These small rocks, which are the result of erosion that has worn away the dirt along the trails, can be tough to walk on for extended periods of time without proper hard-soled shoes.{{cn|date=August 2024}}

In [[Maine]], the trail extends into even harsher environments, and subalpine and alpine growth descends to lower elevations. Alpine growth in the state ranges from around {{convert|2500|ft|m}} in the [[Mahoosuc Range]] to below {{convert|1000|ft|m}} in parts of the [[Hundred-Mile Wilderness]],<ref name=brill>Brill, David (June 2001), "Walk This Way!". ''Men's Health''. '''16''' (5):68</ref> where nearly every area higher than {{convert|1000|ft|m}} is evergreen forest. These forests include more species of evergreen, as well. In addition to the [[Eastern white pine|white pine]], [[spruce]], and [[tsuga|hemlock]] prevalent farther south, Maine has many [[Cedrus|cedar]] trees along the trail. Near the northern terminus, there are even some [[tamarack]] (larch), a coniferous, pine-needled deciduous tree, which provides displays of yellow in the late fall after the birches and maples have gone bare. The hemlocks in Maine are also notable, as the [[Hemlock woolly adelgid|woolly adelgid]], which has ravaged populations farther south, has not come into the state yet, and may be unable to make it so far north due to the cold climate.{{cn|date=August 2024}}

Maine also has several alpine regions. In addition to several areas of the Mahoosuc Range, the Baldpates, and Old Blue in southern Maine have alpine characteristics despite elevations below {{convert|4000|ft|m}}. [[Saddleback Mountain (Rangeley, Maine)|Saddleback Mountain]] and [[Mount Bigelow (Maine)|Mount Bigelow]], farther north, extend only a bit above {{convert|4000|ft|m}}, but each has long alpine areas, with no tree growth on the summit and unobstructed views on clear days. From Mount Bigelow, the trail extends for {{convert|150|mi|km}} with only a small area of alpine growth around {{convert|3500|ft|m}} on the summit of [[White Cap Mountain (Piscataquis County, Maine)|White Cap Mountain]]. Mount Katahdin, the second-largest alpine environment in the eastern United States, has several square miles of alpine area on the flat "table land" summit as well as the cliffs and [[arête|aretes]] leading up to it. Treeline on Mount Katahdin is only around {{convert|3500|ft|m}}. This elevation in Massachusetts would barely be a subalpine region, and, south of Virginia, consists of lowland forest. This illustrates the drastic change in climate over {{convert|2000|mi|km}}.{{cn|date=August 2024}}
{{wide image|McAfee Knob.jpg|800px|Panoramic image of the [[Catawba, Virginia|Catawba Valley]] from the [[McAfee Knob]] overlook}}