I've seen the Rocky Mountains, skied, driven and biked them many times, through many states and have experienced them from many perspectives. They are awesome, and I love them like no others.
I've seen the Canadian Rockies, skied them in Banff and driven them from Calgary through the Yukon Territory and into Alaska; they are beautiful beyond description.
The rolling Alleghenies and Blue Ridge Mountains are special being so close to home. I've driven, camped and fished them for most of my life.
I've seen the Alps by train, but profess no intimacy.
But, the Andes.
The Andes, simply, are staggering. Sharp. High. Young. Covered in dense jungle; I've never seen anything else to compare.
Machu Picchu? Yes, I visited and climbed the ruins, and like the Grand Canyon, is too much for my mind to grasp. It is too complex, too inspiring, too emotionally transfixing; it defies my words.
But the mountains that it calls home?
Oh, my God.