This is a video that I shot from the top of Mount Davis, the higest point in Pennsylvania. I am doing the videos as part of a fundraiser, so feel free to ignore the first 10-15 seconds. The rest of the video about the highpoint itself. Hope you enjoy it!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDZg8HgJxJs

redneck wrote:3,213 feet? We have a mountain nearly twice as tall as that right here in Orange County, CA.

Ironic, then, how my Pennsylvanian uncle once came here and scoffed at California's mountains. I wonder what he was thinking.

I doubt he had seen what California has to offer. The most impressive eastern mountains are hills.

MikeTX wrote:no doubt that the mountains in california are far more spectacular, but the ruggedness of the trails in pennsylvania have earned the state a reputation. AT hikers are often quoted as saying pennsylvania is where old boots go to die. perhaps this was what your uncle was thinking of.

So Pennsylvania is famous for crappy trails?

There's no comparison between the Eastern mountains and the Western mountains of the US. However, it's also not accurate to think that all Eastern mountains are crap. Size isn't everything, and there are many spectacular mountains and worthy climbs on the east coast. To name a few:

Mt Washington





Katahdin

Alpinist wrote:There's no comparison between the Eastern mountains and the Western mountains of the US. However, it's also not accurate to think that all Eastern mountains are crap. Size isn't everything, and there are many spectacular mountains and worthy climbs on the east coast. To name a few:

Mt Washington...

Scary!!! That's one of the 10 most dangerous mountains in the world!

James_W wrote:

redneck wrote:3,213 feet? We have a mountain nearly twice as tall as that right here in Orange County, CA.

Ironic, then, how my Pennsylvanian uncle once came here and scoffed at California's mountains. I wonder what he was thinking.

I doubt he had seen what California has to offer. The most impressive eastern mountains are hills.

I find quiet solace in the eastern mountains. I love the feel of the dark, ancient woods. The wildflowers and blooming trees and bushes are amazing. The giant trees, the moss, the critters everywhere. Springtime is so green it almost hurts your eyes and the autumn leaves are a wild riot of color.

I love the eastern mountains. I have never understood this strange need to disparage these peaks. They are not "worse" than western mountains in any way - just different.

sarah.simon wrote:I love the eastern mountains. I have never understood this strange need to disparage these peaks. They are not "worse" than western mountains in any way - just different.

Just SHORTER.

Alpinist wrote: Size isn't everything

That's not what she said.

Alpinist wrote:

Just noticed the perspective of those last two photos. I like comparisons like that.

mrchad9 wrote:

Alpinist wrote:

Just noticed the perspective of those last two photos. I like comparisons like that.

Yep, that is pretty cool.

I liked Mt. Davis. It was in a nice rural area, the pastures and farmlands leading there were all very charming, and the 360 degree views from the top of the tower were pastoral, pretty, and calming to the senses. No mountaineering feat, for sure, but you don't expect to find that in Pennsylvania anyhow.

sarah.simon wrote:I find quiet solace in the eastern mountains. I love the feel of the dark, ancient woods. The wildflowers and blooming trees and bushes are amazing. The giant trees, the moss, the critters everywhere. Springtime is so green it almost hurts your eyes and the autumn leaves are a wild riot of color.

I love the eastern mountains. I have never understood this strange need to disparage these peaks. They are not "worse" than western mountains in any way - just different.

The intact ancient forests are in green on this map. What parts are you speaking of in your comment?

James_W and redneck: What is this bashing of the eastern United States mountains? Have you guys ever even been to Pennsylvania? I bet you would have a different view on the mountains there if you spent some considerable time there. And why are the California mountains suddenly so big? There are mountains in this world that would make them look like mere hills. Note, I am not saying that the California mountains are bad; I have been to California once and really enjoyed the beauty it had to offer. However, I agree with Sarah.Simon that the eastern mountains are a completely different type of mountain than the western mountains.

Also, James_W, I agree that the eastern US mountains may not contain 'ancient' forests, as most of the territory there has been logged over at least once. However, one thing I noticed on that map was that there is considerable more forests in the eastern US compared to the western US. Believe me, it is not all cities, highways, and suburbs out here. Try going to northern Maine, northcentral Pennsylvania, or a number of other places and you will see that the eastern US does indeed have 'wild' areas and beauty. So, again, I stress my first point; spend time in these mountains and you will find the great beauty there.

Thanks for the videos -- it was fun to revisit some state highpoints with you. As someone who has been to the highpoint of 49 of the 50 states, I found that the eastern mountains were very enjoyable and sometimes surprisingly challenging. I had thought that a summit that was at an elevation lower than my home in Colorado couldn't be very impressive or "mountain-like", but I certainly learned otherwise.

Happy Highpointing!