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I would have to give Charlotte the edge in terms of mountain access for day or easy weekend trips, even though the terrain in the city itself doesn't stand out much. In Atlanta we are a little more removed from from major (by eastern standards) peaks, although Kennesaw Mountain stands out locally at nearly 2000 ft. elevation. Pittsburgh certainly has the most rugged urban topography on this side of the US, but truly high altitudes are distant from the area.
Location: northern Vermont - previously NM, WA, & MA
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Originally Posted by JK508
Just throwin' it out there, Boston did come up on a list for best large cities for access to ski/snowboard resorts. I think this is a factor for many mountain lovers.
The two best ski areas back east in my humble opinion are Whiteface in NY's Adirondacks and Sugarloaf in Maine.
Whiteface - vertical drop is at 3,166 feet and its highest lift drops you off at 4,386. It has diverse terrain and beautiful surroundings with the highest peaks of the Adirondacks and Lake Champlain on the horizons, plus the added fun of all the leftover Olympic venues in town at Lake Placid.
Sugarloaf - What I love about this place is its the only mountain back east with skiing above the treeline. That's just the best, which is why I prefer hiking and skiing in western mountains as the views aren't as obscured by tree canopies. Anyway, Sugarloaf has a big snow dome crowning the top of the mountain. It's way up in deep Maine and quite the hike to get to, but totally worth it. It's an amazing getaway up there. https://www.google.com/search?q=suga...DG6k8XFiNJM%3A
Whiteface distances
Burlington 2 hours
Albany 2.5 hours
Montreal 2 hours
NYC 5 hours
Boston 5 hours
Sugarloaf distances
Boston 4 hours
Portland 2.5 hours
Montreal 3.5 hours
For proximity to good mountain terrain, for a major city I'd say it's a toss up between Charlotte and Boston. For skiing I'd say Boston as NH skiing is a straight shot up I-93 in just 2 hours. Medium sized cities, I'd go with Albany or Asheville.
For hiking, the most impressive mountain aesthetically to climb (and a difficult one) would be Mt. Katahdin in northern Maine. It's at the very end of the Appalachian trail, but what makes it exceptional and is among a very few mountain peaks back east with real sharp jagged edges and peaks. It's way up there, about 5 hours from Boston and 3.5 from Portland. There is a badass death defying trail called Knife Edge trail.
We all know you are a BIG Pittsburgh hater, but honestly Boston isn't "close" to any of those places. The white Mountains are 2.5 to 3 hours away. Berkshire are over 2 hours away, and Vermont farther than both. And those times don't take into account traffic.
The Laurel Highlands are under an hour from Pittsburgh. Case in point.
The White Mountains are much taller than anything within a 2-3 hour drive of Pittsburgh; the mountains of North Carolina and Tennessee are taller but they don't go above treeline; the tallest peaks of the Whites look a bit steeper.
We all know you are a BIG Pittsburgh hater, but honestly Boston isn't "close" to any of those places. The white Mountains are 2.5 to 3 hours away. Berkshire are over 2 hours away, and Vermont farther than both. And those times don't take into account traffic.
The Laurel Highlands are under an hour from Pittsburgh. Case in point.
What have I said about Pittsburgh? I rarely comment on Pittsburgh but have said positive things. Pittsburgh boosters tend to be the most irrational and sensitive though. That's not a comment on the city at all however.
The white Mountains, Berkshires, etc are way more mountainous than the hills in and near Pittsburgh. That's just how it is. Sorry you got triggered.
Atlanta is quite close to the North Georgia Mountains (90 minutes) and has great monadnocks within 30 minutes.
Charlotte has a nice monadnock about 40 minutes away, and is only about 2 hrs. from Pisgah National Forest, home to the highest point in the Eastern US.
Washington DC is a little over an hour from Harper's Ferry, and 2 hrs from the high peaks of Shenandoah National Park.
Philadelphia is about 90 minutes from the Poconos, and about 4 hrs. from the high peaks of the Catskills and Shenandoah's.
New York City is about an hour from the Southern Catskills, and about 4 hrs. from the Adirondack High Peaks.
Boston is less than 2 hours from the start of the White Mountains and less than 4 hrs. from the most prominent peak in the eastern US.
Pittsburgh has the most topographically dynamic immediate setting on this list easily. It also is an hour from hike able Allegheny type terrain, and about 3 hrs. from Allegheny High Peaks.
Buffalo is a little over an hour from what is considered the Grand Canyon of the East, and the Northern Allegheny Mountains, and has the most topographical variance in its county of any major city county in the Eastern US.
I don't think there's a clear cut winner here, but these 8 I think stand out, with perhaps Nashville, Cincinnati, Cleveland, and San Antonio being runners up in this regard. Was curious to see other thoughts though.
San Antone is a long ways from any mountains.The closest mountains to there would be the ones in the Trans-Pecos and Southern Oklahoma and the state of Arkansas.
Last edited by Westerntraveler; 09-25-2016 at 03:42 PM..
Yes, Albany is vastly underestimated in regards to the topic. I think people underestimate its metro size and its proximity to mountains. This doesn't even get into its proximity to NYC and Boston, as well as having very urban neighborhoods in the area. For instance, this is an hour north of the city: Million Dollar Beach in Lake George, NY
You also have the Green Mountains of VT that are a little over an hour away. This map can give you an idea of proximity to Albany, which is just south of where the Mohawk and Hudson Rivers meet: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taco...achiansMap.jpg
Last edited by ckhthankgod; 09-26-2016 at 07:28 AM..
I'd consider 2k feet back east a mountain compared to 4k feet in New Mexico considering 4k feet here generally means you are on a plain as flat as a pancake.
Anyway, I'd say Boston for the poll. If Burlington were there it would take the cake.
I'd consider 2k feet back east a mountain compared to 4k feet in New Mexico considering 4k feet here generally means you are on a plain as flat as a pancake.
Anyway, I'd say Boston for the poll. If Burlington were there it would take the cake.
I'd consider 2k feet back east a mountain compared to 4k feet in New Mexico considering 4k feet here generally means you are on a plain as flat as a pancake.
Anyway, I'd say Boston for the poll. If Burlington were there it would take the cake.
Portland is close to the White Mountains, and the only small city that's an almost reasonable distance to Katahdin. Acadia mountains are too short to be real mountains, but they're steep and their ocean locations are unique for the east coast.
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