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Old August 21, 2005, 03:48 PM   #80
CarbineCaleb
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Join Date: May 27, 2004
Posts: 2,745
Quote:
how can you say Wyoming isn't a 'challenge' if you have never been there?
Because I've studied topographical maps of all the mountainous regions in North America. That's how I chose destinations, and planned routes. If you really know how to read those, you know not only how difficult it will be, but what it will look like - it's a 3-D picture of the landscape that shows not only the landscape contours, but all water - want to find a waterfall to play in? Water always travels perpendicular to contours - just find a river or creek that travels through a stretch that's brown with contour density - there it is. Want to find a massive cliff with a lot of air under your feet? Just find the trail that passes close to the upper edge of at least 500 feet of closely spaced contours. I know the difficulty, and even the shape of the scenary, before I get there. Maybe you can't do that, but I can.

One time in upstate NH (the White Mountains, best east of the Mississippi), I spoke to a farmer while we were setting up to head in - he lived across the street from the "Presidential Range". I said "Boy you are lucky living up here, right next to this!". And he answered, "I've lived here all my life (he was maybe 55), and I've never been up there". Now, who do you think knows "his" mountains better? The guy who lives in another state, but has crisscrossed them time and again on foot, or the guy who lives next door, but has never even set foot in them?

Whether they are city folk or country folk, the average person doesn't have the physical strength/endurance, nor the desire to endure the smallest physical hardship. So, 99% of the people don't get into the backcountry, no matter where they're from.
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