Green Mountains

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For the Green Mountains in Wyoming, see Green Mountains (Wyoming).

The Green Mountains are a mountain range in the U.S. state of Vermont. The range extends approximately 250 miles (400 km). The most notable mountains in the range include:

• Mount Mansfield, 4393 feet (1339 m), the highest point in Vermont
• Killington Peak, 4241 feet (1292 m)
• Mount Ellen, 4083 feet
• Camel's Hump, 4083 feet
• Mount Cleveland, 3500 feet
• Mount Roosevelt, 3580 feet
• Mount Wilson, 3756 feet
• Glastenbury Mountain, 3748 feet (1142 m)

The Green Mountains are considered to be part of the Appalachian Mountains, a vast range that stretches from New England in the north to Georgia in the south. Other nearby Appalachian mountains are the White Mountains to the east in New Hampshire and the Berkshires to the south in Massachusetts. To the west, across the Champlain Valley and Lake Champlain, are the Adirondack Mountains in New York, which are technically considered to be part of the Canadian Shield.

The Green Mountains have five peaks over 4,000 feet. Three of these (Mount Mansfield, Camel's Hump, and Mount Abraham) support alpine vegetation. Three of them (all except Camel's Hump) have downhill ski resorts on their slopes. All of the major peaks are traversed by the Long Trail, a wilderness hiking trail that runs from the southern to northern borders of the state and joins the Appalachian Trail for roughly 1/3 of its length. It is notable that while Vermont has only five peaks over 4,000 feet, both New Hampshire and New York have 44 peaks exceeding the same height.

While it is of note that several of the peaks have alpine vegetation (as pointed out above), it should also be pointed out that the Green Mountains, especially the northern sections, support a dense boreal forest between roughly 3,000-3,500ft and treeline. This forest is particularly well established in the Green Mountains and throughout the winter months weathers harsh temperatures, snowfall and winds that would destroy other species. In other words, much of the "green" in Green Mountains is due to this boreal forest.

The Vermont Republic, also known less formally as the Green Mountain Republic, existed from 1777 to 1791, at which time Vermont became the 14th state.

Vermont not only takes its state nickname ("The Green Mountain State") from the mountains, it is named after them. The latin Viridis Montis is literally translated as Green Mountains. This also explains why the University of Vermont and State Agricultural College, originally styled "the University of the Green Mountains," is referred to as UVM (after the Latin Universitas Virdis [sic] Montis). Vermont's postal code is VT as designated by the federal government.

[edit] See also

• Green Mountain National Forest
• Vegetation of New England
• Green Mountain Boys - a paramilitary infantry led by Ethan Allen that took Fort Ticonderoga during the American Revolution

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