Mountain Grandeurs

I have quickly come to the conclusion that, like most things on Earth, you simply cannot compare the Appalachians with the Rockies.

(I know the beginning of that sentence may sound hypocritical to some people, since I've been comparing the States with Saipan for years, but I'm really trying to get out of that, and have decided that you can't really compare any of God's creations considering the fact that He made everything so different. Wish me luck on this endeavor; I really need it!)

Anyway, allow me to expand on my reasoning. First of all, let's go for the Appalachians. Yes, they are small, and the range is short; in fact, many people from the West make fun of the Easterner's for calling them mountains, but mountains they are. It is a range that is not to be made fun of, I assure you. The Appalachian Trial is the most sought after accomplishment of many a hiker's life. The mountains are rugged and thick with forest and often fog, making it easy to get lost if you leave the trail in the slightest.

The Appalachians are not big enough to be formidable to a viewer from the bases, but a more beautiful stretch of mountains is not to be found. I have often walked in the mountains of the East and have more than once been impressed with the woods that cover them. It's like walking in a mythical forest; like something out of a Tolkien book. Dark moss covers the rocks; the trees are straight and tall; and the woods are thick enough so that you can be quite close to a road without hearing traffic. Of course, that's not even counting their brightness in autumn and their reverent silence in winter.

The Rockies. Now those are some big mountains. They live up to their name, I'll tell ya that much. They aren't very green, as far as forests go anyway. They do have some grass in some places, but for the most part, they're rocky, just like their name implies. But to make up for lack of color, they are blessed with size. Rising up out of valleys, their tops are covered in clouds. They are awe-inspiring, no matter where you view them from. I saw them first coming in from above in the plane. They were the first thing I saw, of course, and when I saw the brown, muddy valley below, I decided it was best to allow them to fill my view entirely. Most of their peaks are covered in snow, that gracefully slides down their majestic slopes. They really are impressive. Watching them roll by on my way up to Idaho was like watching the beginning of an episode of Wild America. They are also beautiful, just in a new way. I alway expected them to be so, and they have certainly lived up to my expectations.