Gone Shoot'n: Backpack

Showing posts with label Backpack. Show all posts

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Tonquin wildlife

A couple shots from the weekend backpacking trip into the Tonquin area of Jasper NP.

updates on Zenfolio soon. (by "soon" I mean eventually...)

I guess its worth noting that for a variety of reasons no fall road trip this year - unless by some miracle it happens in November to California or something... highly unlikely. So sad, I was on a good roll. However sometimes other priorities for the hard earned cash must prevail.

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Friday, August 13, 2010

Crazy Pills

I’m always whining about being busy but add to that having to fend for myself for two weeks, an extra couple pinches at work (is it reasonable to work 14-15 hours a day??), a big project at Silverland & you get ‘holy shit’ busy. Had to figure out how to do internet banking & how to work that blasted washing machine… I feel like I’ve been taking crazy pills!

Not all work though, I got in a backpacking trip on the long weekend & caught up to an old high-school buddy for an afternoon of fun in Kananaskis. Today is a loose ends day so finally caught up on my photos too.

I need to spend a little more time shoot'n, with a few exceptions the shoot'n I did on the backpacking trip were taken too quickly... brain wasn't set right or something. Maybe I'll carve out part of a day soon for some camera time. But in the meantime summer is going by way way way too fast!! Now where's my todo list...

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Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Hang'n at Bright Angel CG

The high in Phantom Ranch the day we arrived hit 94F (35C) & my system went into a sort of shock. Keep in mind there was snow on the ground when I left home! Initially it felt good to sit in the sun & in retrospect I should have laid in the creek or something to cool down. We went for a wander around Phantom Ranch, down to the Silver Bridge & then hung out a bit at the campsite. A book & sandals, two items that didn't make the cut, would have been real nice to have. As the sun gave way to shadows I began to feel better.
Later in the afternoon Moe went to the Ranger program & I went down to the river where the reflected light off the red sandstone walls made everything shades of orange.

Bright Angel creek where it runs into the Colorado River.
Nice cabin, staff quarters I think.
This poor old girl was standing right next to our campsite. For whatever reason (over population, garbage etc) the deer in the GC never looked healthy.

The ranger program in the evening was quite informative, mostly about the reintroduction program of the California Condor into the GC area. Earlier in the day we had a glimpse of a bird that could have been a Condor but was too brief to be sure. The ranger told a funny story of tourists who approach rangers announcing that they have see "Baby Condors" which always turn out to be Ravens. For the rest of the trip I'd point at Ravens & exclaim "Look, a baby Condor!"

After the program the ranger took us scorpion spotting using a flashlight with a black light. Under black light they glow, as if they weren't creepy enough already...

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Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Tamarack / Avion

Our annual boys trip, this year down to Waterton for four days (three nights)of perfect weather sandwiched in between rain days. July 31 - Aug 3, 2009.

Day One: This was the big one. Rowe Lake Trailhead (on Akamina Parkway), Lower Rowe Lake, Upper Rowe Lakes, Lineham Ridge 2560m (fourth highest maintained trail in the Rockies) then seemingly endlessly down to Lone Lake. 20.1km, 1490m of gain, 1100m loss.
Little Golden-mantled ground squirrel that wanted a handout at Lower Rowe Lake. Eric kept giving him little pebbles that he would dash off with.

Lower Rowe Lake
Rowe meadows and the approach to Lineham Ridge from the goat track cutting across from Upper Rowe Lake.
Toiling up the trail to Lineham ridge. Lots of flowers set off against the red argilite rock.

Lineham Ridge & Lineham Lakes below as well as view out over Upper and Lower Rowe Lakes and many peaks beyond.
Even where there wasn't the stunning Beargrass there seemed to be flowers everywhere.
Stand of mature Larch on the final pull into Lone Lake.
Artsy shot of Lone Lake. Our campsite for the night.

Day Two: Lone Lake to Twin Lakes
A very short haul over a few minor bumps past Blue Grouse Basin to Twin Lakes. 7.2km, 215m gain, 235m loss.
This was along the way, Blue Grouse Basin.
Lower Twin Lake... our slacking place for the afternoon.
I had a few options for some sidetrips but everyone felt kinda lazy so we hung out by the lake snoozing, reading, & skipping rocks.
Up early the next day for some shoot'n by Lower Twin Lake.

Day Three: Another hot grunt day. Twin Lakes, thru Snowshoe CG, up to Castle River Divide, then up and over Avion Ridge and down to Goat Lake. 14.7km, 700m gain. 645m loss.

Eric and Mike racing to the summit of Avion Ridge. I hung back not wanting to make them look bad ;>) ... but I did win the race as they stopped just short of the highpoint. Technicality but who said life is fair?
Mike on Avion Ridge

Looking down the valley to Goat Lake, our last campsite of the trip.
Cascade below Goat Lake (after dinner shoot'n)

I was going to make a seperate post for just the Beargrass photos. It was a good year for Beargrass and it was stunning. Definitely one of my favorite wildflowers.

Day Four: Goat Lake and out to Red Rock Canyon. 7km, 530m loss.
Morning shot of Goat Lake.
Wandering homeward. They're probably discussing what song is stuck in their respective heads.

Good trip all up. I guess this would be our sixth year of doing this and hope there are a few more in us before life gets in the way (perhaps it never will.)