Biggest Nature Surprise

"Biggest Nature Surprise" indicates, obviously, that you were SURPRISED by the sight or site. Traveling to water, mountains and parks over the years I've kind of known what to expect for the most part. Some were more impressive, some were less, than expected. Some that have been genuine surprises include;

- the falls and pools east of the AT in Sages Ravine
- Avalanche Pass and Lake in Adirondacks
- seeing the shiny, silver ribbon on the horizon that was the Atlantic seen from an early summit of Monroe on a clear day
- view down to Lake George islands from Tongue Mountain on a sunny day
- watching a snowshoe hare tear down the trail toward and through a group of us and then seeing the pine martin further up the trail that was chasing it
- Boiling River swimming/soaking in Yellowstone twice during our trip there
- "summit" break on Rainier in a steam vent cave
- view of Mt St Helens from Camp Muir
- viewing the Catskills from Bear Mtn, CT on a clear day

I'll remember others.

Sunrise. Every morning over our little inlet off Casco Bay. In three years I've never seen the same one twice.

Big Pines near Tripyramids in Waterville Valley. I had walked past that sign many times before stopping by one summer day. Just an awesome spot!
http://www.onchristspath.com/bigpine.html

Schnebly Hill Road descending into Oak Creek Canyon north of Sedona with the red rocks on fire beneath the setting sun. Didn't even need the hallucinogens.

Nice Tom.

A few nice suprises in no particular order and certainly incomplete...

- Mount Rogers and The Grayson Highlands in Virginia in Winter. Beautiful.

- Diana's Baths in NH (Bartlett? N. Conway?). I focus so often on longer hikes and shun the more "touristy" stuff that I regretably miss some shorter gems. Finally stopped at this one with my daughter last year. Good half mile or so hike and nice destination with a kid. Go on "off-hours."

- Ocala National Forest in Florida. I don't like to sweat when I sleep so Florida, my home for a number of years, is not always ideal for camping, but I saw more wildlife in one overnight backpack here than in a month of hikes anywhere else. A BIG Black bear, owl, otters, herons, hawks,..we weren't even trying...

-The Northern Pressies the first time...and Katahdin. Nice suprise is quite an understatement for these.

Tom Rankin said:

Ok, I will!

Red Rock Canyon in Nevada was amazing. I wasn't expecting much, but I could spend an hour talking about it! And it's literally just outside the city limits of Las Vegas. (Although it looks like it might be surrounded by it soon! )

Sometimes the most amazing site is beheld simply by turning around, especially if you are climbing a slide.

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Agree 100% Red Rock Canyon is one of the most beautiful places I've ever seen.

Spend the day hiking in it then spend the nights cruising the Vegas strip; good way to spend a vacation.

For me it was the Bavarian Alps in Germany. I'll say that I was surprised because it was cloudy and foggy as heck when we got to the area and you could not even see the mountains. When the sun finally broke through I was amazed at how high those mountains were.

Wyoming '10

At first we was all like "Whatever"


Then the sun started to come up and snow eased up a bit and then we was all like "Woah"

Stinkyfeet said:

Also, the Grand Canyon: Just did my 4th Rim-to-Rim-to-Rim run on Saturday and never cease to be blown away by the place (South Rim congestion notwithstanding ).

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Congrats! I'd love to be in the shape to do that sometime, although I'm sure it wouldn't be in anything like your time.

Biggest surprise for me was probably Mt. Coe. That might be by contrast--I did Katahdin the day before in total fog...but both the hike up the slide and the view from the summit were outstanding.