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East Coast cities have rolling hills often and small elevation changes. They are not flat. What West Coast cities have is rapid and sudden changes in elevation that happen in a very short distance. Entirely in the city of Los Angeles you go from sea level to 5,300 feet (the largest elevation change of a big city in the country). The highest point on the WHOLE East Coast is 6,684 feet in North Carolina. California has 100 peaks over 13,100 feet (highest in L.A. Metro is 10,000 feet though). The best display of elevation change is that only 76 miles are between the lowest point in the continental USA (Death Valley) and the highest point (Mount Whitney). Imagine a change from 14,500 feet to -232 feet in the same distance between New York City and New Haven, CT.
These sudden changes are frequent out West near development too. My city is at around 400 feet, about 7 miles from the ocean. Just six miles north of our house is a 5,689 foot mountain, so the mountain literally looms over the city because it is so close and so sudden of an increase in height.
East Coast cities have rolling hills often and small elevation changes. They are not flat. What West Coast cities have is rapid and sudden changes in elevation that happen in a very short distance. Entirely in the city of Los Angeles you go from sea level to 5,300 feet (the largest elevation change of a big city in the country). The highest point on the WHOLE East Coast is 6,684 feet in North Carolina. California has 100 peaks over 13,100 feet (highest in L.A. Metro is 10,000 feet though). The best display of elevation change is that only 76 miles are between the lowest point in the continental USA (Death Valley) and the highest point (Mount Whitney). Imagine a change from 14,500 feet to -232 feet in the same distance between New York City and New Haven, CT.
East Coast cities have rolling hills often and small elevation changes. They are not flat. What West Coast cities have is rapid and sudden changes in elevation that happen in a very short distance. Entirely in the city of Los Angeles you go from sea level to 5,300 feet (the largest elevation change of a big city in the country). The highest point on the WHOLE East Coast is 6,684 feet in North Carolina. California has 100 peaks over 13,100 feet (highest in L.A. Metro is 10,000 feet though). The best display of elevation change is that only 76 miles are between the lowest point in the continental USA (Death Valley) and the highest point (Mount Whitney). Imagine a change from 14,500 feet to -232 feet in the same distance between New York City and New Haven, CT.
These sudden changes are frequent out West near development too. My city is at around 400 feet, about 7 miles from the ocean. Just six miles north of our house is a 5,689 foot mountain, so the mountain literally looms over the city because it is so close and so sudden of an increase in height.
Great post.
To respond to the OP... I totally know what you're talking about. The town I grew up in is at 800 ft elevation and is surrounded literally by 4,000 to 6,500 ft mountains on all sides. It's hemmed in nice and tight. Even just passing through the Willamette Valley in NW Oregon makes me feel a bit agoraphobic. CA's Central Valley is worse.
I can't imagine living on the Plains or the low-lying areas of the South... I'd go crazy I think. I need some sort of dramatic change in elevation to feel "above the city" or separated from "the beyond" or something. Not all the time... It's just reassuring to know you could get out or get away though. Maybe I'm just way more agoraphobic than I realized.
I know exactly what the OP is talking about. Exactly.
For me, the primary benefit of hills is to provide some directional context. No matter where I am in Portland I can see the west hills and I know that I need to drive towards those to get home. Or when someone asks where something is I can say "over those hills". Same with L.A. I always know right where the Valley is and what's north and what's south.
When I visit family in Louisville, I don't have that luxury. I feel lost and completely dependent on street signs to find anything. Without hills I really don't know where anything is and I could be in the completely wrong side of town without realizing - it is a very bizarre feeling and a little disorienting.
Sometimes when I'm in a very flat area I feel like the whole city is spinning very fast without me knowing and I almost get dizzy . Whereas when I'm in a hilly city I feel like the hills are almost anchoring the city to the ground.
I don't expect people who have lived in flat cities all their lives to be able to relate. It's not exactly something you can explain unless you've lived it firsthand before.
I know exactly what the OP is talking about. Exactly.
For me, the primary benefit of hills is to provide some directional context. No matter where I am in Portland I can see the west hills and I know that I need to drive towards those to get home. Or when someone asks where something is I can say "over those hills". Same with L.A. I always know right where the Valley is and what's north and what's south.
When I visit family in Louisville, I don't have that luxury. I feel lost and completely dependent on street signs to find anything. Without hills I really don't know where anything is and I could be in the completely wrong side of town without realizing - it is a very bizarre feeling and a little disorienting.
Sometimes when I'm in a very flat area I feel like the whole city is spinning very fast without me knowing and I almost get dizzy . Whereas when I'm in a hilly city I feel like the hills are almost anchoring the city to the ground.
I don't expect people who have lived in flat cities all their lives to be able to relate. It's not exactly something you can explain unless you've lived it firsthand before.
I'm sorry, but this is ridiculous. You West Coasters are such drama queens. I was born in Western Colorado, Grand Junction to be exact, and grew up in Denver for a big chunk of my childhood. The Rocky Mountains are taller than any other mountain range in North America, with Colorado having the highest elevation of any state. Other than the landmark/directional aspect large hills and mountains provide, I have no clue what you people are talking about. I've never experienced vertigo or grown disoriented due to a lack of elevation. That's among the stupidest thing I've ever read.
I know exactly what the OP is talking about. Exactly.
For me, the primary benefit of hills is to provide some directional context. No matter where I am in Portland I can see the west hills and I know that I need to drive towards those to get home. Or when someone asks where something is I can say "over those hills". Same with L.A. I always know right where the Valley is and what's north and what's south.
When I visit family in Louisville, I don't have that luxury. I feel lost and completely dependent on street signs to find anything. Without hills I really don't know where anything is and I could be in the completely wrong side of town without realizing - it is a very bizarre feeling and a little disorienting.
Sometimes when I'm in a very flat area I feel like the whole city is spinning very fast without me knowing and I almost get dizzy . Whereas when I'm in a hilly city I feel like the hills are almost anchoring the city to the ground.
I don't expect people who have lived in flat cities all their lives to be able to relate. It's not exactly something you can explain unless you've lived it firsthand before.
You can use things like this to find your way home in a flat city.
I'm sorry, but this is ridiculous. You West Coasters are such drama queens. I was born in Western Colorado, Grand Junction to be exact, and grew up in Denver for a big chunk of my childhood. The Rocky Mountains are taller than any other mountain range in North America, with Colorado having the highest elevation of any state. Other than the landmark/directional aspect large hills and mountains provide, I have no clue what you people are talking about. I've never experienced vertigo or grown disoriented due to a lack of elevation. That's among the stupidest thing I've ever read.
Both Denver and the Grand Junction area are very flat, especially Denver (Grand Junction has a little more hilliness). Denver is called the Queen City of the Plains! It may be the mile-high city, but it's more like the mile-high plateau. And the Rockies aren't even the most prominent range in the country, which is what really matters in mountain height because that's the measure of what you actually see... And that most prominent title goes to the Sierra Nevada. But that's not what really matters here either. It's different living IN the mountains as opposed to living NEXT to them. So it does make sense that you don't understand. No one here is complaining I don't think... I'm not anyway. It's just weird to have flatness.
Portland:
Grants Pass, OR:
Portland:
Another of my hometown:
grants-pass-nov-08 on Flickr - Photo Sharing! (http://www.flickr.com/photos/marcboussat/4069966526/ - broken link)
Portland's West Hills (Tualatin Mountains):
west hills ridgeline on Flickr - Photo Sharing! (http://www.flickr.com/photos/luckyplanet/395546365/ - broken link)
Colorado sure is pretty with its big mountains, but it sure is flat too (not so many big hills everywhere). Try looking on Google Maps' terrain view. It's beautiful, but not really the same effect.
Denver:
Grand Junction:
Last edited by backdrifter; 12-22-2009 at 03:38 AM..
I'm sorry, but this is ridiculous. You West Coasters are such drama queens. I was born in Western Colorado, Grand Junction to be exact, and grew up in Denver for a big chunk of my childhood. The Rocky Mountains are taller than any other mountain range in North America, with Colorado having the highest elevation of any state. Other than the landmark/directional aspect large hills and mountains provide, I have no clue what you people are talking about. I've never experienced vertigo or grown disoriented due to a lack of elevation. That's among the stupidest thing I've ever read.
This post made me laugh! I think because I agree with it so much. And, the fact you called West Coasters "drama queens". Not all are, but there's quite a few
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. Whereas when I'm in a hilly city I feel like the hills are almost anchoring the city to the ground.
