I live in western Oregon and therefore my 'backyard' mainly consists of the Cascades along with some lesser known mountains a bit further east. My preferred terrain is based on my familiarity with and the easy availability of those mountains.

I tend to prefer the areas up near, but not above timberline, where there are still trees, but also frequent open views. The big volcanoes of the Cascades don't have nearly as much high open alpine terrain, entirely above the tree line, as the Sierras do, and I like to have the bit of shade that trees provide since my skin doesn't appreciate a lot of sun exposure. Just in terms of solitude, I gravitate toward creeks as my water source rather than camping next to lakes, but I don't always have that choice.