You're making the mistake of assuming access to nature is a priority for everyone, which I think is a consequence of the cultural bubble that Silicon Valley is in. Most people who are part of the scene are into nature stuff, and they assume everyone is because they don't know anyone who isn't. I have definitely heard of people who moved to SV/SF for a job and then being looked down on and sometimes even bullied by coworkers for not having any interest in nature activities. There is very much an attitude that if you don't partake in the Standard Silicon Valley Hobbies then something must be wrong with you.

By contrast, I've lived in Texas all my life and I don't know many people who's really into going hiking and stuff all the time. A couple of people, sure, but most people I know are content to only do the kinds of activities you can do in an air-conditioned room.

I would imagine there are a lot of tech people who moved to NorCal for work but aren't comfortable with the culture there. They don't care about nature and would be happier if they got to socialize with coworkers who had similar interests, and so they might be much happier if their employers relocated to Texas or something. And while I can't really speak to Austin, my experience in Dallas is that the tech scene (which is thriving and active) is much more enterprisey and doesn't really attract people who would prefer a more SV-like culture.