If Ya Ask Me, These Three Ya Gotta See!

“Roads:

#1) The Beartooth Hwy,
MT and WY.

#2) U.S. 2,
From NH to Glacier Natl Park

#3) State Road 58, MI.
Autumn splendor!

Towns:

#1) Atlanta, ID
Up 70 miles of dirt road, but well worth the drive.

#2) St. Martinville, LA
Cajun heartland.

#3) New York, NY
A national treasure.

Backcountry Getaways:

#1) Wind River Range, WY
Crowded they say? Whatever. Plenty of space to get scarce for weeks on end. Unsurpassed majesty.

#2) Cumberland Island, GA
Not nearly as much space, but getting scarce is still easily doable. Highest acre-for-acre abbundance and diversity of wildlife I've seen.

#3)Lost Cove, NC
There's a certain magic. That seems to be a resounding comment from everyone that's been there.”

“Impressive list, gojo.”

“Roads:
1. Icefields Parkway, Canada
2. Million Dollar Highway, CO
3. The Alaska Highway

Backcountry getaways:
1. Denali
2. Wrangell - St Elias
3. Canyonlands, UT”

“cool thread.”

“Nice list Gojo

I've got lots of favourite roadways (some from my Harley days). A few would be:

1. Icefield Parkway - Cdn Rockies

2. Beartooth Hwy - Montana

3. Road to Hana - Maui

4. Sea to Sky #99 - Vancouver to Whistler

5. Cascade Loop - Washington St

6. Trans Canada #1 - through Rogers Pass and the Columbia Range”

“LEAFERS!”

“Must-See parks:

1. Baxter State Park, ME - Katahdin is an awesome sight to behold, and the wildlife is very abundant. The place is magic.

2. Acadia National Park, ME - not an ideal backpacking place, but lot's of very cool dayhikes. The views from Cadillac Mountain out into the ocean and the surrounding islands is breathtaking. Despite summer crowds, it's not hard to find solitude, in my experience.

3. Adirondack National Park, NY - Ultra-challenging hikes, breathtaking views, and bears!!! Neat place that offers a true wilderness experience.”

“Try these two out in California:

Telescope Peak, Death Valley. Go early spring or late fall when its still cool. From the top you get an almost unobstructed view of some great desert topography. DV also has a lot of scenic trails to day hike.

Mt. Shasta, Nor Cal. Ditto - great view from the top. Also a lot of great multi-day trail hiking around the base of the mountain with awesome views of Shasta's glaciers.

Rainier Natl Park - Wonderland trail - Great week long circumnavigation route around Rainier. And don't forget your raingear!”

“Gojo, I'd say by the time you're done tooling around the continent you'll have a list of "must sees" as long as your arm. That'll be nice, won't it?”

“Like life itself, the lists are works in progress.

I'd do a list of three TTers, but a) It would be difficult to select an "elite three" only, and b) AmyG would KILL me for omitting her - LOL!

(just pokin' fun, Amelia)”

“Like life itself, the lists are works in progress.

I'd do a list of three TTers, but a) It would be difficult to select an "elite three" only, and b) AmyG would KILL me for omitting her - LOL!

(just pokin' fun, Amelia)”

“must see is future -ya done seen amy, shes not eligible.”

“3 great drives not mentioned yet:

1. Sky rd., Connemara in Co. Galway, Ireland.
2. South from Monterey, Ca. towards San Luis Obispo on RT.1.
3. St. Rt.14 in Wyoming the northern route thru the Bighorns.

Three towns you gotta see:
1. Rome, Italy.
2. London Calling
3. Pine Ridge, S.D.

Three must BC experience's:
1. GCNP
2. Alaska north of the 90'
3. scoutin' whitetail.”

“I'm with ya on Pine Ridge, SD, Briar! It's hard to imagine a place like that still exists today in the USA!”

“Drives:
1. Scenic Highway 12, Utah
2. Needles Highway, South Dakota
3. Kolob Reservoir Road, above (literally, elevation wise and north of) Zion National Park

Little towns (under 10,000)
1. Panguitch, Utah (closest to Bryce, great old Mormon town)
2. Fairplay, Colorado (western ghost town included, and a view of the REAL South Park -- or is it Middle Park?? -- and mountains close by)
3. Valentine, Nebraska... hmm, hope it's under 10,000. Recreation and the Niobrara River all in the sandhills of north central Nebraska.

Ghost towns:
1. Ward, Colorado
2. Grafton, Utah
3. Rochford, South Dakota
4. Any of the small remnants of mining communities up around Cripple Creek and Victor, Colo.”

“2. South from Monterey, Ca. towards San Luis Obispo on RT.1.
3. St. Rt.14 in Wyoming the northern route thru the Bighorns."
~Brair "Rat"bit

*2 I plan to do (poemy!) on this very roadtrip. Lots and lots of US 1, in fact.

#3 I'll surely see, too. I crossed the 'Horns on US 16 last year - that's why I've decided to include a hike there this year. I'll take your advice, and get there via (US) 14. So, would you recommend the northern Cloud Peak Wilderness?

I've been N (Scenic, Cactus Flat), W (Oelrichs), and S (Chadron, Rushville, NE) of Pine Ridge, but never thru it. It's kinda on the way betwixt here (SE MN) and the 'Horns. I could take US 16 from SW SD allll the way to where 14 forks, then on 14 to the Bighorns. Sounds like a plan... thanky for the heads-up!”

“1. Scenic Highway 12, Utah
2. Needles Highway, South Dakota"
~Elizabeths

Ditto.
Ditto.”

“BTW -
Needles Hwy... it that the one that loops back beneath itself at one point? Cool bridgeing.”

“"Pigtail" bridges, Liz says.”

“Briar -
I did Pine Ridge several days ago. It's reminiscent of the Navajo-Hopi Nation of NE AZ.

I also just came down from the 'Horns - 14 all the way from Sheridan. I'll continue on it to Yellerstone. It was a GREAT drive! I could not have picked a better time to be here... snow snow snow.

Thanks for the tips!


Now....
lets go back and look at some of the other recommendations......


God Bless America!”

“Hey I missed this thread before. This is a great one! (I'll have to think if I can come up w/ 3 myself)”

“Is that you, yam?”

“If so, how's about a big "hell yeah!" about MI 58!”

“yeah it's me gojo!!!

I really really liked PR, MI. That may be one of my three.”

“1. Gettysburg National Battlefield.
I stood at a marker for Semmes Brigade along Seminary Ridge. Grandpa Zion was in Co. H of the Georgia 50th Volunteer Infantry Regiment, which was under Semmes at Gettysburg. I tried to imagine what Zion might of been feeling standing there where his g,g,grandson now stood. I couldn't. I simply felt puny as I wept.

2. Kennesaw National Battlefield Park.
Great and tragic story in the annals of our country's history. 8 mile footpath that leads from the visitors center to a battlefield to the south. At that locale is the Illinois monument. Heavy.

3. Andersonville Prison.
Horrific story of a prison camp of an army that couldn't feed itself, let alone it's prisoners. Impressive cemetery.”

“this is a cool thread.

Since I am going to the Catskill Mountains this weekend, I am going to do a Catskills themed post.

3 Catskillian ledges ya just gotta see:

#1: Hurricane Ledge, Kaaterskill High Peak
#2: Wittenberg Mountain (grand overlook of Ashokan Reservoir and valley).
#3: Giant Ledge (no way this spot cannot make the list, I put it as number three since it is not as high as the other ledges.

honorable mention: Westkill Peak, Westkill Mountain

3 lean-tos
#1 Devils Acre
#2 Table Mountain
#3 Balsam Lake Mountain

3 campsites

#1 Giant Ledge
#2 Neversink
#3 Slide Mountain (on the peak) in the Winter months

best trails

#1: Wittenberg-Cornell-Slide loop
#2: Devils Path
#3: Escarpment Trail

best climbs:
#1 Slide mountain from Woodland Valley
#2 Plateau, what a killer!!!!
#3 Blackhead, damn steep!!!!

best bushwhack/trailess peaks and hikes

#1 the evil bushwhacks, Lone, Rocky Friday and Balsam Cap.
#2 Fir and Big Indian
#3 Kaaterskill High Peak
last edited: 12/06/06 4:17:33 PM”

“EN -
Sounds like you're the Cats go-to man! I hooked-up with Sir Pete a few years back for a one-niter in those parts. I'm sorry, but the name of the location escapes just now. It was awsome, tho.

We hiked in after dark on a brilliant moonlit trail. We camped near a stream. I sat crosslegged in my tent half the night watching it snow and snow. I was giddy as a school girl. It was quite a treat for this southern boy.

God Bless America!”

“yeah gojo, I know sometheengs about the Catskills. I keep sending you invites to hikes. When are you coming up north to hike with us?

I love the Catskills and I am heading there this weekend for some backpacking with Pennsy and Crazypace. We're going to hike some on the Escarpment trail and hopefully we will be able to camp in the lean-tos, otherwise, it will be out in the bivies.”

“When are you coming up north to hike with us?
~EN

Soon enough mehopes. I'll be back on my feet in due course.”

“Backcountry lakes:
1)Lake Solitude, Teton National Park
Because it's the Tetons.

2)Twin Lakes, Twin Lakes Basin, above Chicago Basin, CO
12,300' elevation, surrounded by 14'ers teeming with mountain goats.

3)Hart Lake, White Cloud Peaks, ID
No trails - crosscountry hiking in every direction.”

“Waterways
1)Altamaha River, GA
Longest unobstructed river in the East. Last 100 or so miles meanders through the bottomlands of the Atlantic Coastal Plain. Vast swamplands that transition into coastal saltmarshes. Featured on Survivorman. Remote.

2) Florida Bay, FL Keys
Flat, shallow vastness dotted with countless isles. Rent a skif and make a wake.

3) Ocmulgee River, GA
Tributary to the Altamaha. Headwaters drop through the Piedmont Plateau before slowing below the "fall line". Intermittent shoals offer whitewater between red-eyed bass honey holes. Passes through Julliette - home of the Whistlestop Cafe - then on to Macon and the Atlantic 200 miles beyond. Canoe-camping paradise.”

“Pointy Fossy Lake, Louise and Annas
Good botes for ridin in and gettin fish. BWT the mulliks will jump in yer bote - GOOD TIMES!

Teet Comb Lakes, Wend Ribbers, Wyodaho
A verry way to walk to but werth the try. Good fish gettin plase. Clifts are dangers BE VERRY CARFULL and do not fall off the clifts when you are smellin for rok rats!

Lake Whitey, Cumby Eyland, the Lannic Oshen
Good fish gettin. Leetel bote is ther so look ever wher for it but DO NOT GET BY SIDE ENNY GATERS or you will get ded and ate.”

“National Forest Wilderness Areas:

Cohutta Wilderness, GA
At 30,000 acres, it's the largest NFS wilderness in the East. Headwaters of Jacks and Conasauga Rivers, the latter is considered among the world's most pristene. Good fishing and great trail network. Connects to 7000 acre Big Frog Wilderness in TN.

Sawtooth Wilderness, ID
211,000 acres. There's a reason that the "Tooth's" are featured on almost every scenic calander. Breathtaking scenery! Within the vast Sawtooth National Recreation Area.

Weimenuche Wilderness, CO
400,0OO acres. Skirted on the West by the Animas National Wild and Scenic River and the Durango-Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. Two stops available for bp'ers. Home of Chicago Basin and numerous 14ers. Home to a section of the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail. Awesome destination.”

“Best Three Lakes:

Image Lake, North Cascades: from town of Chelan take Lady of Lake up Lake Chelan, to Holden vilalge, then hike two days to Image Lake, with incredible views of Glacier Pk.

Kane Lake (below), Pioneer Mtns Idaho: three mile hike, 3000' elevation, good fishing, mtn goats, wonderful alpine scenery



Tulainyo Lake (below), eastern crest of Sierra near Mt. Whitney, incredible and awesome alpine lake: tan rock, cobalt water, white ice, blue sky.

”

“I started to come up with a list, and then realized I have too many possibilitites for each category and too many categories. There are so many incredible places to visit out there - from my favorite National Parks (Glacier, Grand Canyon, Wrangell St. Elias, Jasper, Zion) to my favorite Wilderness areas (Wind River Range, Absaroka Beartooths, Gila, Bob Marshall), to favorite day hikes (Eagle Creek in both Oregon and Montana, South Kaibab Trail, Pt. Reyes, Prince William NP, Saguaro NP), memorable campsites (Thousand Island Lake in the Sierras, Maccarib CS in Tonquin Valley, Twin Lakes in the Anaconda Pintler, long hikes (CDT, PCT, GDT and AT), scenic drives (Beartooth Highway, Rte 1 on the California Coast, Blue Ridge Parkway, etc. Every place I go is a favorite, one way or another. I don't think I've ever had a bad trip to the backcountry.”

“Ginny -
I totally agree with everything you said - hence the purpose of this thread. When I first started roadtrippin' in '96, I felt
"like a frog on a stump-
so much America, I didn't know which way to jump!"

I thought that by giving brief descriptions of the places we've seen that it may help others to narrow down their countless options.

C'mon, girlfriend! Tell it!
:)

I'm inspired to do another...
lessseeeee... Oooo - I know! But you'll hafta see my next post -
moooooooowaaaahaaaahaaaa*hack*!!
Darn... I swallowed Gizmeaux.

"Heimlich, Belle - HIIIIIMLIIIIIIK!"”

“Ginny -
I notice that you used the word "favorite". These arent necessarily favorites (speaking for myself, natch), they're just three of the myriad places I would reccommend.


Idaho Bob -
The Pioneers. Cool. Someday...

btw, you have four beautiful children.”

“Are you saying the black hairy four legged one is one of my children, or the hottie second from the right?”

“I would recommend just about every place I've ever hiked, for one reason or another. About the only environment I don't really enjoy hiking is swamp country - but that's because it's flat and I like climbing. I love scenic vistas, but I also enjoy long woods walks. The desert can be brutal, but it can be incredibly beautiful. Volcanic hiking is hard on the feet, but I enjoy looking at the cones and rocks. I prefer to be far away from city noise, but living here in Maryland I've had some very enjoyable hikes in places where you never escape the sound of traffic.

Absolute must do's before you die? Glacier, the Grand Canyon and Yellowstone. Beyond that - Alaska and the Canadian Rockies. Everything else is a step down - but still worth doing. I especially like the wilderness areas we've hiked, especially on the CDT - though I've learned that it is very hard to find solitude in any of the wilderness areas in the summer time unless you go off trail. Everybody loves a wilderness.”

“Isle Royale - just about anywhere cep'n the Chickenbones

Hunnigan Cove
Moskey Basin
Big Todd Harbor
Daisy Farm
Windigo Harbor”

“Northville-Placid Trail: Winding its way over 120 miles from the Southern Adirondacks to the central High Peaks region, the NPT goes through some of the more remote trailed areas in the Adirondack Park. The highlights of the trail are the many mountain streams, lakes/ponds, and uninterrupted forests.


Adirondack Great Range: Starting in Keene Valley (1030’) and ending on Mount Marcy (5344’), New York’s highest mountain, the Great Range Trail traverses 8 peaks over 4000’ high. Over its 14.5-mile length the trail gains about 9500’ as it moves through northern hardwood, boreal, sub-alpine, and finally alpine zones.


Tongue Mountain Range: Running along the western shore of Lake George, the 16.6-mile horseshoe loop along the Tongue Mountain Range offers unobstructed views of the lake and surrounding mountains. The range is also the home to several dens of timber rattlesnakes, the only venomous snake inside the Adirondack Park.

last edited: 12/27/06 1:47:55 PM”

“Wyodaho Man -
Make that fibe perty kids then that you got!”

“lz-
The "Great Range" for sure. Roadtripping brings a new unintended reward with every turn. One of the most awesome sites is the 'Daks from across the St. Lawerence in Ontario. It was mid day as I headed south along the river (intersta..er Interprovence 401(?). The Adirondaks loomed impressively high above the flatness of the river basin - they are larger than the Black Hills, so I'd suspect...

Great pics, man.”

“Geographic Coolios

Bluff Country, Southeastern MN
Rolling farmland, quaint towns, coolio coolies. Nice hiking, biking, and caoneing trails.

The Nebraska Sandhills
Sandy hills, sparse vegetation, scrawny and seemingly homeless cattle - no barn or homestead for miles and miles in some areas.

The Texas Panhandle
Flatter than flat. Texas Swing and local drawl fill the AM airwaves. Tornado chasers Mecca.”

“three best hard day hikes:

to Cascade Pass in the North Cascades, with a climb of Mt. Sahale if you have the energy.

day hike to the base of the North Ridge of Mt. Stuart in the Stuart Range of WA, via Stuart lake, and hiking out cross country to the trail. That is a HARD day.

Up Mt. Borah in Idaho and back down, 6000 feet up, a long hard day hike starting before dawn.”

“Yeah! Borah!
So you made it to and fro "Chicken Out Ridge"?
lol!”

“Borah was great. The views on the way up were wonderful. Chicken Out Ridge was thought provoking, but not so bad. The 20 foot downclimb to the top of the snow gulley was interesting. You and Sarabelle have done it?

Pics here
last edited: 1/03/07 3:31:47 PM”

“I theenk we prolly did awreddy! Aint that at the Wend Tooths?”

“No we havent - she's prolly confused with Mt. McGowan. McGowan Peak? Sawtooths...

Sweet! I have the maps, but haven't taken the stroll. Someday...

Borah is visible from all across Round Valley, wherein Challis and my brother occur. I've been eyeing her for a spell now.”

“New York: Devils Path (Catskill Preserve) -- 26 miles of ridiculous and often steep elevation gain and loss...

Pennsylvania: Old Loggers Path -- not much to say for elevation gain or loss here, but 31 miles in one day will test the endurance of any hiker...

Vermont: Long Trail (Green Mountains) -- partially coincides with the Appalachian Trail, pick any 20-mile section and the combination of steepness and elevation is sure to send even the strongest hikers hobbling...

New Hampshire: Presidential Traverse (White Mountains) -- Over-the-top steepness, elevation and out of control weather conditions. 'Nuff said...

Maine: Bigelow Mountain Range (Bigelow Preserve) -- Partially coinciding with the Appalachian Trail, the Bigelow Range Trail has some incredible views of Maine's back country and wilderness, but at a price that will make your quads and calves scream out for mercy...”