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We have mountains. We have beaches. We have forests. We hike, we swim, we surf, we ski, snowboard, mountain bike, bike in the street, bike along the beach. We have lakes, too, and rivers. We fish, jet ski, wind surf, water ski, wakeboard, paddle board. The only thing we can't do out east that you can do out west is hang out in the desert, so any sort of activists there - because we don't have any. Otherwise, what outdoor activities does the west beat the east on as far as what you can do? If there are any, the east is bound to have some that people west can't do. It's not a one way street.
Ahem, all of that is SEASONAL for y'all in Jersey.
Biking, hiking, surfing, wakeboarding etc is year round in Socal. Snowboarding is seasonal out here but the mountains are of better quality.
We have mountains. We have beaches. We have forests. We hike, we swim, we surf, we ski, snowboard, mountain bike, bike in the street, bike along the beach. We have lakes, too, and rivers. We fish, jet ski, wind surf, water ski, wakeboard, paddle board. The only thing we can't do out east that you can do out west is hang out in the desert, so any sort of activists there - because we don't have any. Otherwise, what outdoor activities does the west beat the east on as far as what you can do? If there are any, the east is bound to have some that people west can't do. It's not a one way street.
Sure, "mountains." Any 14'ers on the East coast? Oh right, no. Actually, the highest peak east of the Mississippi is Mount Mitchell at 6,684 ft. And what exactly compares to a place like Yosemite on the East Coast? Or even Angeles National Forest right outside LA?
There are beaches...but are there beaches that come remotely close to what you'd find in La Jolla? Laguna Beach? Palos Verdes? Malibu? Montecito? Big Sur? Not even close. The pacific is waaay better than the Atlantic aesthetically, I think anyone would agree with me on that. You can surf too, but the waves don't compare to good surf spots in California.
So yes, you could do many of the same things in the East, but all on a smaller, less beautiful, much, much less impressive scale.
Sure, "mountains." Any 14'ers on the East coast? Oh right, no. Actually, the highest peak east of the Mississippi is Mount Mitchell at 6,684 ft. And what exactly compares to a place like Yosemite on the East Coast? Or even Angeles National Forest right outside LA?
There are beaches...but are there beaches that come remotely close to what you'd find in La Jolla? Laguna Beach? Palos Verdes? Malibu? Montecito? Big Sur? Not even close. The pacific is waaay better than the Atlantic aesthetically, I think anyone would agree with me on that. You can surf too, but the waves don't compare to good surf spots in California.
So yes, you could do many of the same things in the East, but all on a smaller, less beautiful, much, much less impressive scale.
Now that this has been brought up again about the mountains Im gonna chime in. I live within sight of the Smoky mountains of east TN. As you stated they only rise to about 6600 feet. However here in the valley we are at about 900 feet elevation. In a short distance they rise up 5500 feet, and they are quite prominent on the horizon. Now lets look at Colorado, the ultimate western mountain state. The eastern part of Colorado is flat as a board, yet it sits at around 6000 feet elevation (the high plains) Pikes peak is 14100 feet, one of your 14'ers. Based on total elevation alone it appears that it is more than double the size of anything in the Appalachians in the east. Just a few miles away from Pikes peak is Colorado Springs on the high plains (6000 feet). The mountain rises 7100 feet in a short distance. If you look at it that way Pikes peak rises only 1600 feet higher than the surrounding countryside than does say Mount Leconte in the Smoky mountains. Yes Pikes peak is still larger, but not by as much as people out west like to claim. Any time someone from out west claims our mountains are "Just hills" I discount them, as most of them have never been here, and have no idea what they are talking about. Even better yet our mountains are actually green.
Now for the cheap shot on the Atlantic/Gulf of Mexico beaches. I have been to California and have seen those beaches. Yes there are some nice beaches but they are NOT superior to those in Florida, the Carolinas, Virginia or New Jersey. In fact some of the best beaches I have ever seen are in the Florida panhandle. Also the water on the east coast is often quite warm and very swimmable. Everytime I have been to California the water was freezing, and if you look there is a cold current from ALASKA flowing down toward the California coast. Another Califronia beach experience I got to see was the red tide. Nasty sea weed all over the beach. Now the scenery of the west coast is great, cliffs and waves breaking on the rocks. However they have that in New England too. You can also find scenic coastline on the Great lakes that rivals that of California. Even in the Great Lakes you will find good beaches, albeit cold ones. I love going out west and love the beauty out there, but I could not let these things go here. There is plenty of scenic beauty east of the Great Plains as well, along with great beaches and real mountains.
I live in Colorado. And the eastern part of the State DOES NOT sit at 6,000 feet! Denver is just shy of that, but it is in the middle of the state! And yes, Western mountains do and are MUCH larger! Been all over the East, and most of the towns are higher than this "900" feet you speak of! Making the relief much less than what we get in the West! I prefer a scenic Oregon beach to any other in the US! Not much for the cold water, but you can't beat the scenery! And yes, the West has it ALL OVER the east in scenery and beauty!
I live in Colorado. And the eastern part of the State DOES NOT sit at 6,000 feet! Denver is just shy of that, but it is in the middle of the state! And yes, Western mountains do and are MUCH larger! Been all over the East, and most of the towns are higher than this "900" feet you speak of! Making the relief much less than what we get in the West! I prefer a scenic Oregon beach to any other in the US! Not much for the cold water, but you can't beat the scenery! And yes, the West has it ALL OVER the east in scenery and beauty!
Google earth must be lying to me then. The high plains outside of Denver and Colorado Springs are definitely NOT part of the mountains and yea they are 6000 feet. Again google earth clearly shows this. Even far eastern Colorado sits at 4000 feet above sea level. Burlington CO is on the eastern border right off I70 sits at 4157, and this is far to the east of the mountains.
Google earth also shows that Maryville in East Tennessee sits at 950 feet, while a short distance away is the mountains which do rise to over 6000 feet. Sevierville TN sits at 960 feet while a short distance away is mount Leconte in the Smoky mountains. Knoxville TN is under 900 feet, although it is 30 miles from the mountains. Thanks to google earth I can state that these are facts written in stone, and no westerners runaway claims about their mountains are better rants can refute them. Oh and did I mention our mountains are green. Now whether the east or west has an advantage in the scenery department is a matter of opinion. If you like greenery, trees and water then you would not find the west to your liking. Im glad you like where you live but many of us in the southeast feel the same way about our area.
Now that this has been brought up again about the mountains Im gonna chime in. I live within sight of the Smoky mountains of east TN. As you stated they only rise to about 6600 feet. However here in the valley we are at about 900 feet elevation. In a short distance they rise up 5500 feet, and they are quite prominent on the horizon. Now lets look at Colorado, the ultimate western mountain state. The eastern part of Colorado is flat as a board, yet it sits at around 6000 feet elevation (the high plains) Pikes peak is 14100 feet, one of your 14'ers. Based on total elevation alone it appears that it is more than double the size of anything in the Appalachians in the east. Just a few miles away from Pikes peak is Colorado Springs on the high plains (6000 feet). The mountain rises 7100 feet in a short distance. If you look at it that way Pikes peak rises only 1600 feet higher than the surrounding countryside than does say Mount Leconte in the Smoky mountains. Yes Pikes peak is still larger, but not by as much as people out west like to claim. Any time someone from out west claims our mountains are "Just hills" I discount them, as most of them have never been here, and have no idea what they are talking about. Even better yet our mountains are actually green.
There may be some truth to that in the Rockies but that isn't the case with the Sierras and Cascades. Look at Mt. Whitney (11,000 ft rise from Lone Pine), Telescope Peak (10,000 ft rise), Mt. Shasta (10,500 ft from Weed), Mt Hood (10,000 ft rise) and Mt Rainier (13,000 ft rise from Eatonville). This is only considering the Lower 48, if we count Alaska, it becomes a whole different level.
There may be some truth to that in the Rockies but that isn't the case with the Sierras and Cascades. Look at Mt. Whitney (11,000 ft rise from Lone Pine), Telescope Peak (10,000 ft rise), Mt. Shasta (10,500 ft from Weed), Mt Hood (10,000 ft rise) and Mt Rainier (13,000 ft rise from Eatonville). This is only considering the Lower 48, if we count Alaska, it becomes a whole different level.
Yes this is true, the volcanic mountains of the PNW have some really impressive relief. If we bring Hawaii into the mix then that has a nearly 13700 foot rise in just a couple of miles. No where else in the US even comes close to comparing to that. My posts were not intended to slam the west, in fact I love going out there. I posted only to discount the erroneous belief that our mountains are so much less than those in Colorado.
But they are! By thousands of feet! And you said the EASTERN part of our great state! Nowhere on the EASTERN part of the state is 6,000 feet! How about looking at pics of what colors are in our mountains right now!!!! Glorious colors! Enjoy your hills! Where are the best ski runs in the US located? On the best mountains of course! The Rockies and Sierras! One more knock against the East! Crap ski areas on small hills with not much vertical!
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. Now whether the east or west has an advantage in the scenery department is a matter of opinion. If you like greenery, trees and water then you would not find the west to your liking. Im glad you like where you live but many of us in the southeast feel the same way about our area.
