What is a high-alpine valley in geography?
So I'm planning trip out west and one of my friends suggested that I visit a high-alpine valley. With that being said, most of the google results that pop up for this have to do with skiing and my friend is many things, but a skier is not one of them. Do any of you travelers out know where I can find a high-alpine valley or at least know what it is?
Answers ( 2 )
High alpine means mountain terrain that is high enough for snow year round on higher peaks, and often includes mountain tops over the tree line (too high in altitude for trees to grow). Alpine appears to mean "mountain", so high alpine valley would be the lower terrain between two high mountains.
I lived in Colorado as a teen, and discovered ski towns were most spectacular in summer. Breckenridge, Vail and Aspen are green jewels nestled against impossibly high mountain peaks pinned into place by that blue, blue sky; it is an enchanting experience to wander the paths and dirt roads, follow the hiking trails, camp under a night sky with a million stars all around, breathing some of the freshest-scented air ever.
My folks owned some land down near the Royal Gorge, west of Pueblo in the mountains there. Beautiful area; you can see the Sangre de Cristos and the Maroon Bells while standing on your own bit of mountain with pinon pines and Douglas fir nuts and cones crunching underfoot. Over west-southwest, is Durango and Pagosa Springs, with the San Juan and Rio Grand National Forests covering the sharper peaks of the Rockies there. Gunnison and Powderhorn are tucked up in the middle of the Colorado mountains and truly serene spots to rest your soul. Colorado- Rocky Mountain High. ("Go home, John Denver"). (While there was a boom going on in sunbelt states in the 70s, John Denver's hit song brought more people to that serenity. We didn't necessarily like him).
The air is just different in the mountains. I would call it cleaner, but I've never taken samples; it's almost sharper- like cold well-water on a hot day. You breathe in great huge lungfuls- oh, yeah, altitude has something to do with that*, but mostly because it tastes and smells just like we believe pure, live oxygen should.
*You will learn exactly how out of shape you are walking around in Colorado- the higher alititude takes a bit of acclimatization. But it is worth it.
Go. Go to the mountains and soothe your soul. Here's an idea to scoot you on your way: https://dayhikesneardenver.com/10-best-hikes-visiting-colorado/
I recommend Tuolumne Meadows in Yosemite. If you Google it you'll see nice pictures that convey the general idea.