>>2775752Adding to this.
Number of class 5 summits (only reachable by technical rock climbing):
UT- 820
CO -493
AZ - 278
WY -130
NM- 71
ID -59
NV- 15
MT -13
Having been to and summited several mountains in every single one:
Wyoming: Tetons are UNREAL in how tall and sharp they are. Grand Teton was a great climb. Winds are wild, Gannett was a slog. Snow is quite dry. Haven't been to the other ranges or the Bighorns but they are not popular at all. Rock is good and really has that alpine feel.
Colorado: Mountains aren't quite as big (base to peak) but has awesome variety and really good access. MTB is great. Climbing is great. Skiing, both skimo and downhill, is only possibly outshined by UT. Tons of desert to alpine environments and several national parks, with a significant amount of wilderness too once you leave the front range.
Montana: Feels really alpine in terms of timber country. Summer days last forever. Depends on the range though, has a lot more of the European valley feel with all the crisscrossing ranges. More "mountain" isolation than the southern states.
Nevada: Sleeper. Mountains rise massively from the desert floor and seem to be much taller than their counterparts. Huge temperature swings but the desert winds carves the stone in a different way. Great Basin has some very cool stuff.
Utah: Nevada but better. Unitas are dreamy alpine. Wasatch offer perhaps the best snow in the world and crazy good access. 5 national parks with desert mountains and spires and arches and monadnocks galore. As well, caves everywhere.
Idaho: Mountains are shorter but the Frank is the largest piece of wilderness in the lower 48. I love Idaho. No national parks which helps its case. If you come to Idaho to go to the Frank, you'll be doing it alone. The best in terms of rafting and hunting out of the mountain states.
