America's Rainforest

Measured from it's immediate base, beginning in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, Mt. LeConte rises more than 5,000 feet and is the highest summit in the eastern United States when measured this way. It is the 3rd highest peak in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park when measured in sea level height, 6,593'.

Rain forests can be found on almost every continent in the world, but most people don't realize that there is a rainforest in The Great Smoky Mountains. This is a hike up Alum Cave trail, to the Alum Cave Bluffs, toward the summit of Mt. LeConte, and into the temperate rainforest of the Great Smoky Mountains.

I wonder ancestors of Mexicans used to live there..

a reply to: Pandaram

I doubt it. My guess would be that ancestors of Americans lived there.

originally posted by: esteay812
a reply to: Pandaram

I doubt it. My guess would be that ancestors of Americans lived there.

Not ancestors in the sense of from their blood. We wiped out the natives and supplanted them.

Then we cut down the forests.

But theres a couple left, for now. Another region of rain forests is along the west coast, from california to washington.

a reply to: intrptr

You're right. Cherokee, NC isn't far from here, just over the hill.

The northwest rainforest is impressive and the one in Alaska is too.

a reply to: esteay812

Along the west coast from the SF (south) bay area almost all the way to SF is one of the largest remaining patches of redwood forest, hasn't been logged for over a hundred years.

It won't be as long as the people of Santa Cruz county have any say.

I grew up here, camped, hiked and explored all thru it, many thanks to the conservation minded 'libtards' .

One spot, Big Basin

Anytime you get a forest canopy going the roots of the trees 'fix' the soil, the shade form the canopy cools the earth the foliage growth retains water, filters it, provides for flourishing wildlife, Makes Rain and rivers...

we gone dumb or something, think cities are better...

a reply to: intrptr

There's isn't a lot that can compare to the redwood forests, imo.

Large portions of the Smokies were logged back in the early 1900's, but they didn't get them all. The part of the forest in the video is an old growth forest. Some of those trees are massive, but the video doesn't do them justice. Still, they're not quite as impressive as those giant redwoods out west.

a reply to: esteay812

Which Fauna occupy that patch ?

a reply to: esteay812

Yep !

I was fortunate to get amongst the sequoia's in Yosemite ...

Breathtaking !

a reply to: Timely

There is a lot of wildlife. One of the most diverse collections of flora and fauna in the world.

originally posted by: esteay812
a reply to: intrptr

There's isn't a lot that can compare to the redwood forests, imo.

Large portions of the Smokies were logged back in the early 1900's, but they didn't get them all. The part of the forest in the video is an old growth forest. Some of those trees are massive, but the video doesn't do them justice. Still, they're not quite as impressive as those giant redwoods out west.

Theres only a couple places we call Big Trees left out here. When younger we explored some areas where there were giant stumps cut off at the base, all of the pacific coastal forests used to be big trees, like you said logged almost to extinction.

Rain forest isn't dependent on the size of trees though, but the number of them. Thansk for showing us the east coast version for rain forest, I never knew they existed like that.

And you're right the western movement of civilized man across the US did almost cut everything down leaving desolation in their wake.

The great chicago fire burned so fiercely because the city was made of wood.

The towns had wooden buildings, wooden sidewalks, wooden bars, wooden spittoons, and saw dust covered streets to soak up the mud, the blood and the urine.

the jerks at work

a reply to: esteay812

I saw deer on my trip ... thankfully ... no bears !

I had a convertible Stang and was worried that my 6yr old Son may have all sorts of food spillage throughout !

We survived any bear attacks.

Also was very impressed with the purity of that wilderness ... despite the heavy tourism !

Bravo !

a reply to: intrptr

Ha, the way you describe it, Chicago sounds like a giant boardwalk. It must've been, it really burned. If downtown Gatlinburg ever caught fire, I'm not sure there is much they could do to put it out. i guess that could be said for most places though.

a reply to: Timely

Believe it or not, the bears won't really mess with you. I mean, unless you just go out of your way to get close to them or if you accidentally stumble upon one. I run into them all the time and normally they really don't give a crap about me. What I get nervous about are bull elk and bucks. Those guys don't mess around and they're very unpredictable. The only other thing that scares me more than anything else is a mountain lion. I'm not familiar at all with them and I wouldn't know what to do if one got after me.

a reply to: intrptr

Cities are never better. All cities do is provide a breeding ground for vermin, both rodent and human.

originally posted by: MJT4256
a reply to: intrptr

Cities are never better. All cities do is provide a breeding ground for vermin, both rodent and human.

And the runoff is toxic, the canopy is concrete, the 'trails' are asphalt from petroleum, the 'leaves' are paper money, the breeze, air conditioning...

yuck, I hate cities.

originally posted by: intrptr

originally posted by: esteay812
a reply to: Pandaram

I doubt it. My guess would be that ancestors of Americans lived there.

Not ancestors in the sense of from their blood. We wiped out the natives and supplanted them.

Then we cut down the forests.

But theres a couple left, for now. Another region of rain forests is along the west coast, from california to washington.

Indigenous Nations have not been supplanted, the forests are still there.

Dont forget the rain forest on Kauai

a reply to: intrptr

Don't forget that the majority of the mass of a tree (or any plant, for that matter) is derived from the carbon in the CO2 in the air, so the more and larger the trees are, the cleaner the air is.

I'm from Bakersfield--instead of redwood forests, we just accumulated all of the smog from Sacramento all the way down the San Joaquin Valley. I love my asthma...19 years of breathing that garbage. (My mom moved to Lake Tahoe when I was 16, though, so trips up to see her helped balance it out)

And not to go off on a tangent and derail the thread, but since you just had to make the connection that only liberals care for and protect the environment, it's worth noting that, especially in places like California and in areas of great natural beauty, efforts to retain said natural beauty sees no political letter by the names of individuals doing their part to protect those areas. The belief that only "libtards" care about protecting the environment is a load of crap that started in the 70s and has persisted via political hyperbole.

Regardless, the Giant Sequoia Forest is amazing as well. I never realized how great I had it living in Bakersfield concerning access to a lot of natural wonders all being within a few hours of driving time. I have that in KY, too, but not the diversity of beaches and granite mountains and ancient forests deserts and massive agricultural valleys. I do mist the topography of California, that's for sure, but it's political atmosphere makes me shudder...I could never live there again, but I sure do need to visit more often. I just got back from a visit while it was over 110-degrees in Bakersfield--still better than 95-degrees and humid in KY.

we gone dumb or something, think cities are better...

We are in 100% agreement, here.

originally posted by: Butterfinger
Dont forget the rain forest on Kauai

Some might argue that Hawai'i isn't legally a part of the U.S., though.

reply to: intrptr

Thanks for the photo link. It's really quite sad. We have been poor stewards of this planet.