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Just looking at the west vs the east, the differences are obvous, sheer size and elevation being the two main factors. Even in the bay area , we have mountains that rise and easly eclipse almost anything past the rockies, let alone Seattle, the Olympic mountains rise from sealevel and make even the highest southern/eastern peaks look quite tame. In general, we are talking about comparing a mountain range, that is at best 5,000ish feet vs 14,000 ish, not quite fair.
I live on the Sawtooth mountain range, our mountains are just older.
Tough, I don't know why that map in the first post calls it "iron mountains," around here there is little iron, most iron is further inland.
I was curious about that too. The map calls MN's Sawtooth Mountains and MI's Porcupine Mountains the "Iron Mountains". I've never heard that term before. I can understand that they may well be part of the same range, separated by Lake Superior, but have never seen them grouped this way or
called that.
Also, I recall hearing that for some reason the Adirondack mountains are not considered a part of the Appalachians, though the Catskills and the Green Mountains are. Anyone else ever hear that? Any idea why this might be so?
Also, I recall hearing that for some reason the Adirondack mountains are not considered a part of the Appalachians, though the Catskills and the Green Mountains are. Anyone else ever hear that? Any idea why this might be so?
Geologically, the Adirondacks are more closely related to the Laurentian Mountains in Quebec; they are an extension of the Canadian Shield. The bedrock was laid much earlier than the Appalachians. However, the Adirondacks only began to rise in elevation much more recently. In other words, while the Appalachians continue to gradually shrink over time (they were once higher than the Himalayas), the Adirondacks are increasing in height.
Geologically, the Adirondacks are more closely related to the Laurentian Mountains in Quebec; they are an extension of the Canadian Shield. The bedrock was laid much earlier than the Appalachians. However, the Adirondacks only began to rise in elevation much more recently. In other words, while the Appalachians continue to gradually shrink over time (they were once higher than the Himalayas), the Adirondacks are increasing in height.
Thank you, rep for you! Now I remember their relationship with the Laurentians. Didn't know they are increasing in height.
Utica, NY is NOT in the Appalachians- It's pretty flat around that area.
The Appalachians barely go into NJ unless the map is including the foothills. In the map, the mountains extended near Paterson- That's not right at all- The lesser known Ramapo mountains are in that general area (along with SE NYS), but far too insignificance to be mentioned.
You have included too much of NY State in the "mountains" area. There are the Catskills and the Adirondacks, and a few minor ranges such as the Taconics and Shawangunks; but most of the rest of the gray area you include are just considered to be hilly country, not mountains. (Then there is the Tug Hill plateau, which is basically a giant tilted slab, producing a sort of one-sided cliff that may seem mountainous to some.)
The Adirondacks and Laurentians are the reason why upstate NY sometimes gets earthquakes (as we did this summer). Sometimes with smashed windows and warped highways... good times! (cuz nobody ever dies!)
Also, the Catskills are not part of the Appalachians - they are a deeply eroded plateau that has resulted in mountains, not really a "chain" of mountains.
The confusion may stem from the fact that parts of the southern tier of NY are included into the federal designation of the greater Appalachian Region (for government aid purposes). But culturally and geologically, it is not Appalachia.
Hiking in the Appalachians can be amazing and pretty challenging. I think the difference is that while trail hiking can be difficult in parts of the Appalachians(due to steep trails and hills) climbing peaks on the West Coast is a world apart from anywhere east of the Rockies. I've climbed most of the Cascade volcanos in the Northwest with the exception of Mt. Rainier and Mt. Jefferson. You're dealing with hiking over miles of glaciers and snowfields even in late summer, besides having to worry about rock and icefall, rapid changes in weather, falling into crevasses and high elevations above 10,000 feet.
If you live at sea level as most American do, hiking at higher elevations can be the most challenging factor for even a simple day hike on a well graded trail. There are 14,000 foot mountains in Colorado with fairly easy trails to the top, although the high elevation makes them difficult for even some hikers in top shape. Or take the John Muir Trail through the High Sierra---in over 211 miles it crosses 6 passes over 11,000 feet.
And don't get me wrong---I love parts of the Appalachians, especially driving and hiking along the Blue Ridge Parkway through the southern part of the range. However, in the Sierra Nevada there is basically a 200 mile stretch south of Tioga Pass in Yosemite in which no drivable road actually crosses the mountains. It's just a whole level of ruggedness away from anything in the East. If someone loves the beauty of the mountains of the East or the hills and lake of Midwest I can't argue with them--but in terms of scale, hiking and climbing in the Western mountain ranges is on a different level.
As someone has said, most of the mountains out west aren't all that much taller than what can be find in the high elevations of the Appalachians. There isn't much in the way of 14,000 feet tall mountains out west. Mt. Whitney is in the 14,000-15,000 ELEVATION range, and it is the tallest mountain in the "lower 48". Most of these mountains rise from an elevation of anywhere from 3,000-5,000 feet, with the exception of the Cascades, Sierras, Olympic, and other coastal ranges. Of these, only the Sierras have an overall much larger increase in elevation from base to summit. In this regard, I suppose one could say that the Sierra Mountains is the true tallest mountain chain in the lower 48. Of the Rockies, With a few exceptions, they aren't much taller than the Appalachians in true elevation.
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