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The Appalacians are alot like the Adirondaks in New York but not quite as pretty, while the Colorada Rockies are in a class by themselves maybe equalled only by Sierra Nevada. I don't think it is fair to compare hills to breathtaking mtns Also, if you value these areas staying beautiful, maybe not so many people should be allowed to move to them, you know OVERDEVELOPMENT!
Teddy Roosevelt had the right idea when he made the Adirondaks a state preserve! I'm sure lots of the "developers" of the era complained loudly about this, but I for one appreciate his foresight!
Teddy Roosevelt had the right idea when he made the Adirondaks a state preserve! I'm sure lots of the "developers" of the era complained loudly about this, but I for one appreciate his foresight!
I'm glad to know that. Good for Teddy and his delightful foresight. I wonder if the Blue Ridge and Appalachians can be so lucky as well?
So are most of the Appalachians public or private land? Is a lot of it under protection, or open to development?
Here is Colorado, most of the mountains are under the National Forest Service. For instance, Summit County, where I live, is just under 400K acres. Out of that, 80% (316K acres) is owned by the NFS, the state, and BLM. Just 20% (79K acres) is under private ownership. In addition, all the towns in Summit County are buying up additional acreage for free public use. I guess there's no telling if the NFS, BLM, or CO will open up the current public lands to development in the future, but for the time being, we're surrounded by (relatively) unspoiled nature. Our neighborhood sits at the edge of the 130K-acre Eagles Nest Wilderness (Wilderness = no mechanized contraptions), and there's the new 13K-acre Ptarmigan Peak Wilderness on the other side of the road -- it is awesome to go walking, biking, hiking, running and see these magnificent jagged peaks puncturing the sky.
One of the best uses of tax dollars is the open space tax that is widely used in CO. The tax is used by the counties to buy private land and make it free public land with hiking and biking trails. All the towns in Summit County are creating more open space parks as well, in addition to the national forests & wildernesses.
How about ease of usage?
I lived in Colorado for many, many years, and remember how it was before the Eisenhower Tunnel.
My last vivid memory of the Rockies was the parking lot that was Interstate 70, choked with cars at a complete standstill. We thought there had been an accident. No, it was just traffic.
Colorado's mountains are stunningly beautiful, but it sure is getting crowded there.
My last vivid memory of the Rockies was the parking lot that was Interstate 70, choked with cars at a complete standstill. We thought there had been an accident. No, it was just traffic.
Colorado's mountains are stunningly beautiful, but it sure is getting crowded there.
Yes, traffic can get bad. But seriously, its not as crowded as people make it out to be. I usually go hiking or biking early in the morning, so that's probably one reason I don't run into a lot of people. But there are lots of places in Colorado Rockies that are not crowded at all -- we've hiked many trails for hours and run into only 3 or 4 people. Which is why I never recommend Rocky Mountain NP to friends or family -- you can get just as good, if not better views with much less people elsewhere.
But it is the best looking way. I tried to hold my breath going through the Eisenhower Tunnel...couldn't do it. Keystone/Dillon is one beautiful place.
So are most of the Appalachians public or private land? Is a lot of it under protection, or open to development?
How are the mountains "handled" in the east?
I know I can't give you actual stats on the Appalachians, but much of it is National Forest or National Park land. They include the Smokies, Blue Ridge, and many other ranges. The Appalachians actually run from Alabama, NE through Georgia, TN, SC, NC, KY, Virginia, W. Virginia and other more northern states, up into Canada!
The Forest Service manages huge areas of Nat'l Forests in the Appalachians.
Obviously there is land that is privately owned and if it's not already, it will likely soon be developed.
But thank goodness for the national parks and national forests -- and there are some state protected lands as well.
Also, Denver/I-70, while the main option, is not the only way to access the Colorado Rockies.
We've never actually been in Rocky Mtn. NP, have generally stayed to the south of there. Our last trip out, we spent quite some time in the Collegiate Mtn. area. Are they considered part of the Rockies?
We were there in mid June 2005 and had a snowfall!
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Also, if you value these areas staying beautiful, maybe not so many people should be allowed to move to them, you know OVERDEVELOPMENT!
