What do you consider America's answer to the Alps? (farms, area)

[Pincho-toot]

The Alps are often seen as the most iconic mountains in Europe, with their tall snowy peaks, their high quality skiing as well as a cultural unity shared across central Europe which is largely German in origin. What do you feel is America's equivalent to the Alps? I would say the Rockies in terms of looks and skiing, but the Appalachians in the sense that they have their own distinct trans-regional culture that has grown in and around the mountains. Overall, I'd say the Rockies. I'm planning to spend Christmas with my SO's foster family so we'll be driving across those beautiful Rockies and I'm definitely excited.

Note: When I ask about the cultural identity of the mountains, I'm not asking which is more similar to the culture of Bavaria or Switzerland, but the mountains that have a distinct cultural identity in America, just like the Alps do in Europe.

[joeyg2014]

The North Cascades are most alike I would say. As for most impressive, that's tough. The Wrangell-St Elias Range, Aleutian Range, or the Alaska Range.

And for cultural identity, probably the Rockies.

[FirebirdCamaro1220]

I'd say the Sierra Nevada near Yosemite

[nei]

The North Cascades are the most Alps-like but they're shorter. But they don't have much culture surrounding them, or people at all.

[grega94]

Originally Posted by nei

The North Cascades are the most Alps-like but they're shorter. But they don't have much culture surrounding them, or people at all.

They are also nicknamed the American Alps, and there's is a little touristy Bavarian town called Leavenworth
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leavenworth,_Washington

[jessemh431]

Sierra Nevadas

[saybanana]

I've been to several places of the alps; Swiss, Italian, Slovenian, Austrian, German. I imagine tall mountains with large glacial colored lakes and rivers, and laketown villages/cities, green hills, farms below. Not sure there is a place like that in America because the mountain regions are quite isolated.

I think Alaska might be close enough like around Juneau.

[TCHP]

San Juan Range in south-western Colorado.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Juan_Mountains

Ouray Colorado has often been referred to as the Switzerland of the Rockies.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ouray,_Colorado

Originally Posted by grega94

They are also nicknamed the American Alps, and there's is a little touristy Bavarian town called Leavenworth
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leavenworth,_Washington

Been there, great little town that definetely reminds one of Bavaria with neat surrounding area but the mountains don't remind me of the Alps at all.

[hornraider]

Other....Sierra Nevadas

[Phil P]

Originally Posted by TCHP

San Juan Range in south-western Colorado.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Juan_Mountains

Ouray Colorado has often been referred to as the Switzerland of the Rockies.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ouray,_Colorado





Been there, great little town that definetely reminds one of Bavaria with neat surrounding area but the mountains don't remind me of the Alps at all.

But on the other side of Ouray it doesn't look like the Alps at all -- Montrose area. It's only comparable for tiny pockets. The Rockies are probably a lot more similar to Central Asian mountains than the alps, like the ones in Mongolia and the Stans.