Desert or Mountains?

[Nick]

But you can't ski in the desert!!!

Ahem...

 

[andyjaggy]

My goodness look what I started.

Obviously mountains for me.

The smells of the forest, the constant sound of gurgling brooks and mountain streams to lull me to sleep at night, the early morning alpenglow illuminating the peaks, the green meadows filled with countless varieties of wildflowers, drinking straight from an icy brook that is filled with freshly melted snow, the expansive views from the tops of saddles and peaks that seem to stretch forever, being woken up to the sound of a symphony of birds. I could go on and on, needless to say I just can't get enough of it.

 

[b.stark]

Mountains for me. My "second home" is the Winds, with the Beartooths as third home. I'll take the clouds of mosquitoes, snow, and scree/talus fields. Also the lack of oxygen. It's a fantastic place, the high above treeline alpine mountain landscape. The mountains call, and I must go.

The desert, especially the Colorado Plateau, has opened new landscapes for me, for sure, but they have not overcome the high mountain landscapes as my favorites.

Part of it may be because I like fishing so much. Not much for fishing in the desert!

Both high mountains and desert are interesting in the harshness of the climate, and their showing of the tenacity of life. I think that is the thread that ties both together for me.

 

[Mike K]

Mountains for me as well. I love the peaks, peak bagging, glissading, rivers, streams, smells, snow, fishing, campfires, etc. Nick has a point though - the bugs can suck! It's usually most beautiful in the mountains in July which is usually the peak of mosquito season. Kills me! I've pretty much vowed to not backpack in July in the mountains because of some horribly buggy trips.

Desert is good too. Among other things, I love the canyons, spring green and water, mountain biking, and change of pace from alpine country.

I love where I live (Utah). Great variety.

 

[Udink]

Desert.

 

[Jmr]

Desert! Maybe this is biased due to how much time I've spent in "canyon country" compared to the mountains but I feel like the Colorado Plateau is such a unique place in the world. It seems that no where else in the world to my knowledge has canyon systems, arches, mesas, red rock, and formations all together and in such abundance and variety in the same way as the Colorado plateau areas. And not to mention the numerous rock art and ruins. The mountains are beautiful but I personally prefer the desert(and preferably not when it's over 100 )

 

[Brendan S]

Every spring I think, def gonna get a mountain trip in this year, but when it comes down to it a 105 degree day in a wet Escalante canyon is just paradise and I just can’t trade it for anything...desert 12 months of the year for me. I love wilderness everywhere and can enjoy anywhere but canyon country is home for me.

 

[Shirt357]

I must be catching the deserts some are missing because bugs I have found (even if I cannot always see them dang it)... scorpions (in my tent... in my boots...etc). Both places I have dealt with snakes. Other than that, the only problem with both is the two legged creatures that I believe go by the species "tourist hiker" :-D

Like I said before... so much out there to see I could not pick one. Though other than deployments the only other deserts I have been to have been in the last few years and I loved them... especially seeing it from Joshua Tree.

 

[Yvonne]

desert for me, I really love the warmth and the desert landscapes and the stark contrasts.
I like mountains as well but if I had to choose between the two I would definitely pick the desert.

 

[Michael]

Desert!
Beautiful colorful landscapes and mostly no crowds.


Gesendet vom iPhone mit Tapatalk

 

[deelek]

mountains... great
desert... obsession

 

[Wanderlust073]

 

[Ben]

wasn't this same question asked once a couple years ago, without the poll i think? i could swear i remember answering it, but i couldn't find it when i tried to look.
any way. i'd pick mountains. this is of course disregarding all the questions there would be regarding how this choice would work in reality, such as 'if i pick mountains, do i only get to backpack for half the year?', etc. if no real life considerations came in to play, i'd take mountains over desert, not that the desert isn't fantastic.

edit:
There it is!

Haha that thread this morning made me go back and find this... https://backcountrypost.com/threads/if-you-could-only-have-one.4193/

Hopefully desert can make a better showing this time

 

[Ben]

curious, where do some thing like the ranges of southern California or Arizona fit in. are they not desert because they are mountains? is there a loophole here in which some one could have both? does the 'mountains' of the original question more accurately mean forested and alpine environments in this context?
i'm thinking particularly of places like Death Valley here.

 

[Ben]

Trees blocking the views too much

if trees are blocking your views too much, you're hiking in the wrong mountains.


deserts are too flat. sure, you might get some great, fantastic, unbelievable views off a rim, or down some canyon, but you rarely get the expanses you can see from a ridge, or the 360s you get from a summit. i love the desert for it's lack of trees as well, but you can have the same thing in the mountains, you just need to go higher in elevation, or latitude.

 

[slc_dan]

The Desert is terrible. No on should go there.

 

[Ben]

same with the mountains.

 

[b.stark]

Everything is terrible. just stay home and watch tv.




Or go out and live.

 

[Nick]

if trees are blocking your views too much, you're hiking in the wrong mountains.


deserts are too flat. sure, you might get some great, fantastic, unbelievable views off a rim, or down some canyon, but you rarely get the expanses you can see from a ridge, or the 360s you get from a summit. i love the desert for it's lack of trees as well, but you can have the same thing in the mountains, you just need to go higher in elevation, or latitude.

if deserts don't offer the superior views, you're hiking in the wrong deserts!

But seriously, there's examples in both that you could argue for and against on that topic. There's just so much awesomeness in both environments. But it's hard to argue that you will inevitably spend more time in the trees on a mountain trip, even it's just on your way to a peak or to above treeline with epic vistas.

Ironically, I read your post today while sitting here. And the view the other directions was pretty nice too. Mountains of another color.



If anything, this thread has taught me that everyone should spend all their time in the mountains. Please...

 

[gnwatts]

if trees are blocking your views too much, you're hiking in the wrong mountains.
deserts are too flat. sure, you might get some great, fantastic, unbelievable views off a rim, or down some canyon, but you rarely get the expanses you can see from a ridge, or the 360s you get from a summit. i love the desert for it's lack of trees as well, but you can have the same thing in the mountains, you just need to go higher in elevation, or latitude.

There are too many trees in the mountains. That is why the only time I enjoy the mountains is when I am above the trees.

The Desert is terrible. No on should go there.

I agree. It isn't healthy. It makes you go crazy.

.............Or go out and live.

I agree.