[at-l] AT vs PTC, CDT trails

["bogey1" <bogey1@worldlynxyork.net>]

As most readers know we just finished our ten year journey of the A.T. and
we felt Maine as a whole was the most beautiful & wilderness-like of all
the previous states, not to mention the most physically difficult.  We have
lots of friends from Utah, California who try to diminish our hike with
jokes about our Appalachians being hills compared to their Rockies.  They
diminish our efforts as if they were nothing compared to the trails out
west.  I've never hiked any Rockies trails so I do not know personally but
I've heard that most are graded to accomodate pack animals. Do most trails
in the Rockies begin at a higher elevation so that the total elevation gain
could be approximately the same as from Abol to Katahdin summit?  
Personally, I think each one who has not hiked the AT should start at
Katahdin and then do the Mahoosucs before they say the Appalachians are
just little hills.
Thanks,
SLIM     
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