[contour5]

I get where you're coming from, Chief. It's like- mountains- What's the big deal there? They're just, like, big zits on the regular flat terrain where normal people live. Why interrupt our important, productive workaday lives with a bunch of stoopid bumps on the map? They're a pointless and irritating waste of time. You could watch a dozen hilarious reality TV shows in the time it takes you to drive out there. Better we stay in our chairs with our eyes glued to glowing screens than overexcite ourselves with weird, ephemeral outbursts of natural phenomena. But forget about the purple thunder cabbage- that stuff is passé. The real hipsters are dabbing thick clouds of pure viscous amber colored butane hash oil {processed through turbo-molecular vacuum pumps) vaporized off red hot titanium spikes. Be careful not to blow your house off of its foundation though, or you'll have to watch TV down at the shelter.

[iron]

[Cyclopath]

Also the needles are soft like a kitten's fur.

[Stefan-K]

I'm with ya Chief - it's like gold, just another rock that became a standard that everyone upholds without a second thought... Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Ignore the fools.

[Randito]

We may have some Larch madness in the PNW -- but on the right coast Leaf Peeping is a major tourist industry.

[Chief Joseph]

[Chief Joseph]

I made the mistake of reading a recent trip report and nearly went blind from all the frickin' yellow! I mean really, there are other colors too!

[Alpendave]

Had a lot of western larch at our place in Deer Park. There is no adequate word to describe when they were lit up with the setting sun against a background of dark purple clouds and interspersed with green bull pines. Can't adequately explain it, but there is something about the striking contrast larch makes with its surroundings.

[Snowbrushy]

This is Tamarack ski area, Idaho and it's namesake tree patch. Foreground is Lake Cascade (drained for winter). My seasonal leased cabin was at the lower left edge of the tree patch and at this time of year I would become completely bored with the trees. Too much of a good thing. I think that's the definition of, jaded.

[gb]

[treeswarper]

Western Larch makes excellent firewood. I find it to be pretty, but it is annoying to work in this time of year because those needles work their way down your neck--kind of like hemlocks do all year.

[Schenk]

CJ..so just what do you enjoy about the mountains? Anything special out there for you? We get it that you don't hold larches in high regard. You seem to agree that Gold is just another rock (despite all of its useful qualities). Is there anything in the mountains or woods that isn't "common" to you?

[Cyclopath]

[mike]

[joker]