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Having lived in Colorado for 4 years and spent extensive time in the Adirondacks, I must say I would choose the Adirondacks based on the forests alone. There's just something about the smell of the air in the northeastern forests that beats the high desert, even though the mountains are so much more impressive out there.
Yes, what Sean said. For mountain lovers, the high peaks region of the Adirondacks are basically the one place you'll find things resembling your true love. And especially since you said the "wild" part of the Adirondacks wasn't your thing, the high peaks are the most popular part of the park, so you're sure to find other hikers if you like socializing.
In terms of the other parts of the park outside of the high peaks, you'll find essentially oversized rolling hills we like to call mountains, or at least that's what people from out west have told me. But the draw to these rolling hills isn't the cardio or the view or the prideful feeling you get after climbing it. It's the isolation, remoteness, and extreme wilderness that's difficult to find nowadays, especially in New York State. Additionally, being mostly below the tree line, you're in nature, surrounded by trees, shrubs, and wild animals for most of your ascent, things you don't really get in the Rockies once you're above that tree line with a lot more bare rock to climb.
Yes, what Sean said. For mountain lovers, the high peaks region of the Adirondacks are basically the one place you'll find things resembling your true love. And especially since you said the "wild" part of the Adirondacks wasn't your thing, the high peaks are the most popular part of the park, so you're sure to find other hikers if you like socializing.
In terms of the other parts of the park outside of the high peaks, you'll find essentially oversized rolling hills we like to call mountains, or at least that's what people from out west have told me. But the draw to these rolling hills isn't the cardio or the view or the prideful feeling you get after climbing it. It's the isolation, remoteness, and extreme wilderness that's difficult to find nowadays, especially in New York State. Additionally, being mostly below the tree line, you're in nature, surrounded by trees, shrubs, and wild animals for most of your ascent, things you don't really get in the Rockies once you're above that tree line with a lot more bare rock to climb.
I think that this wilderness feeling is the essence of the Adirdondaks. The ADK Forest Preserve is the largest wilderness area east of the Mississippi, and that size contributes to the remoteness of many parts of the area. Some remote parts of the Forever Wild areas probably don't see human intrusion for years at a time.
The Adirondacks are not just mountains but a region filled with lakes and forests. A number of things stand out to me about the Adirondacks
--- the huge size of the Adirondack region - larger then Vermont or New Hampshire
--- much of the region is either wilderness or "wild land", very unusual for the eastern half of the US
--- highly forested with large amounts of pine
--- thousands of lakes and ponds, this is a big difference between other mountain areas where they might only have a few
--- historical aspect - Forts Ticonderoga, William Henry, Crown Point plus Lake George area and Adirondack great camps
--- long distance boating or canoe trails
--- easy trips to the great cities in all directions - Montreal, Boston, NYC, Philadelphia, Toronto etc.
When you put it all together then you realize just how the unique the Adirondacks really area.
I love the Adirondacks. What's even crazier its that its bigger than the Grand Canyon, Glacier, Yosemite, Yellowstone, Great Smokey Mountains, COMBINED!!!!! What's funny is that if you go to those national parks they seem GIGANTIC. It just reminds you of how big Adirondacks really is when you get there. It an swallow Rhode Island twice. It's like it's own state within a state. It has a charm and beauty all its own and if you love hiking, mountaining and what have you, you owe it to yourself to check out the Adirondacks. It probably won't be the most impressive in terms of mountains but you'll certainly find a unique charm to it that makes it unique.
I love the Adirondacks. What's even crazier its that its bigger than the Grand Canyon, Glacier, Yosemite, Yellowstone, Great Smokey Mountains, COMBINED!!!!! What's funny is that if you go to those national parks they seem GIGANTIC. It just reminds you of how big Adirondacks really is when you get there. It an swallow Rhode Island twice. It's like it's own state within a state. It has a charm and beauty all its own and if you love hiking, mountaining and what have you, you owe it to yourself to check out the Adirondacks. It probably won't be the most impressive in terms of mountains but you'll certainly find a unique charm to it that makes it unique.
That's very misleading. The national parks you mentioned are all surrounded by national forests that are several times the size of the parks themselves. The ADK is a region, not a single, unified park, it's management is similar to that of national forest with a mix of government and private land ownership, not quite up to the standard of a national park. For example, Glacier NP is surrounded by Flathead, Kootenai, Kaniksu, Coeur D'Alene and Lolo National Forests, and borders Waterton Lakes NP and Akamina provincial park in Canada. Yellowstone is similarly surrounded by no less than 5 such forest or wilderness areas. The ADK is a dwarf by comparison, just go get a map and look at it. Comparing ADK to a western NP is comparing oranges to watermelons. Oranges and watermelons have different flavors, however there is no way an orange will feel bigger than a watermelon.
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Originally Posted by yiplong
LOL. Reading comprehension fail? Please re-read my post above. Thanks.
Who cares? As the link says "There is often a misperception that the Adirondack Park is a national or state park" therefore their statement that " Adirondack Region is the largest publicly protected area in the contiguous United States" is correct. Per the link it is a "constitutionally protected Forever Wild area" in New York State.
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