Back by popular demand, this practical field guide captures the splendor of the rare, yet accessible, alpine zone of northern New England. This fascinating ecosystem is an enchanting world of delicate flowers, hardy plants, and remarkable wildlife that survive in the harsh and unpredictable climate of New England's highest peaks from Vermont to Maine, including Mounts Mansfield, Lafayette, Washington, and Katahdin. Full-color photos and authoritative text offer quick answers to visitors' questions: What is that lovely little pink flower along the side of the trail? How do these plants survive through winter? Which birds am I likely to see above treeline? New to this edition is an appendix on the phenology of the alpine zone--the study of the effect of climate change on plant species. Nature enthusiasts will appreciate this detailed look at climate change and its impact over time on this rare and fragile environment. This new edition also highlights the environmental success story of the rescue of Dwarf cinquefoil, an extremely rare alpine plant that was removed from the endangered species list in summer of 2002 due to decades long efforts by AMC and other conservation advocates in the region.

Special features include:
A hiker's guide to the ecological zones that change with the elevation as mountain slopes rise to the summits
The unique world above tree line: biological communities, geology, weather, and other phenomena
More than 200 full-color, annotated photographs of alpine species: flowers, trees, shrubs, grasses, mosses and lichens, birds, mammals, insets, the local landscape, and more