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Outdoor attractions surround the city

By: Amy Williams
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Surrounded by mountains with the Tennessee River snaking right through the middle, Chattanooga's natural resources are abundant.

For outdoor enthusiasts the city has become a destination, with people moving to the city just to do the activities so readily available here.

"I've been hang gliding since '90, so I would come here on the weekends," said Liz Fortanier, who moved from Atlanta to Lookout Mountain, Ga. "At some point I thought, 'If I can make it happen with work and I can work from home, then I'd rather live here.' There's no comparison."

A growing number of outdoors enthusiasts has been lured to the tri-state area because of its mountains, rivers and other natural resources. Kayaking, rock climbing, hiking, camping and mountain biking are available here.

Those resources, combined with the efforts of Outdoor Chattanooga, which promotes outdoor recreation, is putting the region on the map of the national outdoor industry, as well as drawing tourists and people such as Ms. Fortanier, who want to live here.

Chattanooga is naturally suited for many of the fastest-growing sports in America. The Outdoor Industry Association estimates the number of young adults involved in rock climbing, backpacking, kayaking, bicycling and hiking all grew by double-digit levels during 2008 over the previous year.

Such attractions helped persuade Dan Miller to leave his native Grand Rapids, Mich., five years ago to come to Chattanooga after previously living in Asheville, N.C.

"Chattanooga has more opportunities and is less expensive than Asheville and doesn't have the severe winters of Michigan," the 31-year-old sales manager for the local North Face distributor said. "I just got engaged to a woman from Chattanooga, so I hope this is my home for a long time."

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