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How do the Smokies compare (in feeling, bigness, wildness, etc) to other east coast mountainous areas that you've visited? I have an ongoing love affair with the mountains of the western US, but I live in SW VA. I do love the landscapes here... the mountains and "wildness" can be truly beautiful in their own ways. I've also spent time in New England and the Adirondacks of upstate NY. I get the feeling that the Smokies are sorta the big boys of the east coast...? Is that fairly correct?
How do the Smokies compare (in feeling, bigness, wildness, etc) to other east coast mountainous areas that you've visited? I have an ongoing love affair with the mountains of the western US, but I live in SW VA. I do love the landscapes here... the mountains and "wildness" can be truly beautiful in their own ways. I've also spent time in New England and the Adirondacks of upstate NY. I get the feeling that the Smokies are sorta the big boys of the east coast...? Is that fairly correct?
The Smokies... well, they are pretty big, not as big as the Black Mountains, though. I absolutely love the "feel" of the Smokies, though, very mysterious, feels like you are very deep in the woods (because you probably are!), and when you summit that big peak and can see for a hundred miles all around you, it's pretty surreal. I don't make it to the Smokies for my hiking as often as I do to the Blue Ridge around Asheville and the Black Mountains, just because they are farther away. One thing about the Smokies is that they are, like pretty much all of Southern Appalachia, tree-covered, so it's a more, I dunno, mysterious feeling because you are on a mountain but you are also in the woods. Just feels very powerful being out there. Also, as far as being wild, I have seen more black bears in the Smoky Mountains than pretty much anywhere else I've ever been.
Now, my other favorite part of the Appalachians is the White Mountains in New Hampshire. They have some very high peaks, such as Mount Washington and the rest of the Presidential Range, and the weather there is true mountain weather. Extremely intense, extremely unpredictable, and extremely awe-inspiring. The highest directly measured surface wind speed ever in both the Northern and Western Hemispheres was on the summit of Mount Washington, at 231 mph, so that should give you an idea of the power of those mountains. Also, a windchill value of -103˚F was recorded on the summit, and the highest temperature EVER recorded there was 72˚F. So yeah, very intense weather. Mount Washington itself isn't THAT remote because there are some buildings on the summit, such as the weather observatory, but it is still something that every hiker/mountain-lover should do in their lifetime. Pretty much anywhere in the White Mountains is a great place to be if you love mountains, raw natural beauty, and intense conditions. Mount Washington is the highest in NH at 6,288 feet, the highest in the Northeast as well. Also, if you're in the White Mountains, make sure you see Tuckerman's Ravine, which is right there by Mount Washington. It is a special place, and lots of people like to ski it because you can go ski on Memorial Day... if you are brave! With 45˚ inclines, I wouldn't do it!
And then there are the wonderful, beautiful Green Mountains of Vermont. They are the smallest of the three I've talked about here, but don't let that fool you. They are amazing mountains, and everyone who loves mountains should visit them as well. They have the distinction of also being a prime ski destination, if that's your thing. Vermont, overall, is just an unbelievable place, and there are those on this forum who know how much I love it. It is mostly rural, almost entirely mountainous, and just breathtakingly beautiful in every way. They have everything from roaring rivers to mountains to rolling, pastoral farmland and everything in between. The mountains there have a rather mysterious feel to them as well, because there just isn't as much information out there about the Green Mountains as there is about, for instance, the Adirondacks. The Adirondacks are beautiful, sure, but even though the Green Mountains are smaller, they are where I would rather be.
But to sum up this ridiculously long post, the Smokies are just as wonderful and wild and large as anywhere else on the East Coast. The wildlife there is very cool and diverse, the scenery is nothing short of phenomenal, and the hiking is great. What more can a man ask for?
Also, if I may ask, you say you live in Virginia, but your location says "Southeast of the Northwest Territories". Did you formerly live near the NWT, or is that kind of a general joke? The NWT is huge, but way smaller than it used to be ever since they annexed Nunavut.
hey SOF42, thanks! That's what I was looking for. I appreciate the time you put into that post! SW of the NWT is a general joke. I just can't seem to peel myself off of the east coast!
I've driven up through the High Peaks in the Adirondacks, across Champlain, and back down through VT, with a nice stopover in Burlington. VT is indeed a great place.
The Smokies aren't what most people call "real mountains". There isn't snow on them all year long, and most aren't even high enough to reach a tree line. They are more rolling than jagged and dramatic and most are covered in tons of vegetation unlike the rockiness of the west.
You can't compare them to those out west or up north because trying to compare them is like apples to oranges. But they are beautiful and have their own charm, just don't expect it to look like the west.
I would also consider the Adirondacks and other ranges in Vermont and NH to be "the big boys of the east coast" definitely not the smokies.
I would also consider the Adirondacks and other ranges in Vermont and NH to be "the big boys of the east coast" definitely not the smokies.
Not sure what you mean. In the Adirondacks, the highest peak is Mount Marcy, at 5344'. Mount Washington is the highest peak in the Northeastern United States at 6,288'.
But Clingman's Dome is the highest in the Smokies - 6,643'.
The mountains up north, depending on what you're expecting, are probably not what you're expecting. They are usually snow-covered in the winter, and the tree-line is lower because of the higher line of latitude there, which is directly related to the climate. It's just that, in the mountains in the Northeast, trees don't grow as high because it's colder at 2000' there than it is at 2000' here. The mountains themselves are much smaller than most everything in WNC (and far east TN). Vermont mountains are laughable if all you're looking at is elevation: the highest is Mount Mansfield, and it isn't even 5000'.
Out west, that's a different story. I can't wait to see those 14'ers. They're not nearly as hiker-friendly, though, and it's very difficult to get out and explore them. You are very likely to get caught in a freak blizzard or some crazy windstorm. The mountains here are much better for exploring and hiking and just general use. Out west, they're more just for looking at. You aren't going to summit the Grand Tetons, for example.
Not sure what you mean. In the Adirondacks, the highest peak is Mount Marcy, at 5344'. Mount Washington is the highest peak in the Northeastern United States at 6,288'.
But Clingman's Dome is the highest in the Smokies - 6,643'.
Pretty sure he's commenting on the overall feel of the mountains, and not elevation. Most people are not surveyors and they don't determine the impressiveness of a mountain by the numbers.
Most of the mountain towns are becoming areas of retirement for the baby boomers because of low property taxes, housing costs and weather.
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