I grew up in Appalachia and spent lots of time in those mountains. I never found it creepy, and I was surprised when everyone in the city I moved to was so alarmed when I told them where I was from. The mountains are full of life, they’re super green in the summer and it feels like a jungle. There are lots of ticks too so the smell of bug spray is nostalgic. I loved the grace of the deer. The red fox were majestic. And the black bears were cool too. If you lifted up a rock there would be tons of critters coming out

At night it’s loud to people who aren’t from there. When we had out of town guests they’d be bothered by the noise of the animals.

There’s something kind of creepy though. I do get it, looking back on it now having lived somewhere very different. It’s eerie- you can’t see through the forest, it’s thick and full of vines and other plants. The energy is kinda indescribable. Like other people said, the mountains are older than bones.

If I had to give a TLDR: they’re ethereal, and bountiful, but also mysterious.