My love for Zen first started when I saw a particular photograph by John Fielder. This particular image is not perfect because it has some gaudy colors in my opinion but there is just something about the elements in the photo that draws me to it. JF lists the image as a 'Gore Range Pond' and that's it, no drainage, no mountain names nothing. He definitely is trying to keep this particular location on the down low, if he really didn't want it found he should have never stated the area IMO. Any way’s a couple of years ago or so I started doing research to figure out this particular location. After many hours glued to my computer screen looking at Google Earth I figured I had narrowed it down to the drainage he was in, so now it was just a matter of getting my butt there to see if I was correct.
In the past I have ventured into the Gore Mountain Range from the east and the west sides before and all I can tell you is the west side is very tame compared to that of the East. The East side does not really offer many short option hikes to get into the heart of the range. When you get off the beaten path as I have done you will be amazed how many huge downed trees lie in the forest.
My roundtrip journey ended up being 19 miles and 6300ft+ of vertical ascent. Only the first 4.5 miles out was on a real trail after that it became a bushwhack and a bushwhack it was, crossing streams and climbing over many hundreds of downed trees with a big pack definitely gets old after a while. It took me just over 6 hours to get to my designated campsite and boy was I wiped out by the time I got there. Maybe this was because the day before I had done my annual bike ride up Mount Evans from Idaho Springs, who knows???
So I get to my spot and quickly put up my tent because the mosquito’s are out of control then take a short nap. Naps done now lets find out if I have won the Zen lottery? So I here I am hiking further up a remote wilderness basin just awe struck by the scenery with all the lush greenery, streams, ponds, pool and what not and now I have to cross another stream this time its only about 8 feet cross but its like 3-4 feet deep no way am I wading thru that, luck happens I find a downed log across the stream. Here I am crossing log number 12+ and what do you know it I slip and end up almost to my waist in the dam thing......where's my Zen now? Its becoming late evening my camp is further down stream and here I am soaking wet threw. I am like, I am finding these dam Zen Ponds if it kills me. I find the ponds snap a quick couple of pictures, then I ask myself what would Bear Gryliss do? Build fire, take wet clothes off and attempt to get warm and dry. So I do and it begins to start raining a little.....ahhh....breath in breath out.....at this point I have my rain jacket and pants and its a little cool outside. Remember the mosquitos, well they are having a field day on my body, fresh ground meat to them, little b@$tards!
Clothes and boots are a little drier now, clouds are clearing away just in time for some nice evening light, now I have my Zen……it makes it all worth while.
2:40am my alarm goes off, now its time to pack up the tent and hike back up the nasty rocky and snow slope so I can get to my sunrise location. When I mean nasty I mean I have 1600ft vertical feet to climb in just over half a mile, oh yeah in the pitch dark, with all my gear, sounds like fun…uh NO! I get to my sunrise location with time to make a brew of coffee and start to watch the day unfold before my eyes.
P.S Chapter 5 will come at a later date.
I am sure there is lots of spelling and grammar errors here, written English was not my forte at school. Waiting on a comment from Todd C. now.
Posted by Todd Caudle on August 6, 2009 at 2:44 PM
Your take on this place blows JF's away! But doesn't chapters 1-5 come BEFORE chapter 6? Killer stuff, man. With photos like this, you can make all the grammatical mistakes you want, for all I care.
Posted by Joseph Kayne on August 6, 2009 at 3:46 PM
Great stuff and narrative, Jody....
Joe.
Posted by Mel Ladewig on August 6, 2009 at 3:58 PM
Wonderful series. #1, #3 and #6 are sweet. #3 does seem to have a warmer color balance than #1. I prefer the balance of #1.
I'd say your mosquito experience mirrored mine. B@s!ards ate me alive every place I've gone this summer. They're always bad in the mountains, but they seem exceptionally bad this year.
Sweet rewards - great images all around. I love the zen pond and you are the Zen Master! I hope the self portrait becomes your bio pic!
"Get out there, people!"
Posted by Chuck Peacock on August 6, 2009 at 5:23 PM
All great, 3-6 spectacular IMO.
Posted by bill meikle on August 6, 2009 at 6:12 PM
#9 for me, but all are great. S curves are wonderful aren't they!
Posted by Pam Colander on August 6, 2009 at 6:14 PM
Although I respect JF very much and have a couple of his books, I have to say that yours kick a$$ Jody! Your narrative made me laugh out loud Being one who is the only one feasted upon by mosquitos when gathered in a large crowd, I sympathize with you. I can see some of the little monsters on your cap in the last shot here.
I'll take a few of those bug bites if I can get a #4 and #5 to go with them.
Posted by Brian Jackson on August 6, 2009 at 7:08 PM
All are amazing.
Cool story.
Brian
Posted by Rajeev Thomas on August 6, 2009 at 7:30 PM
Jody.... thank you, thank you!! You made my day!! I am very inspired now, after reading your story!!! I am going out out to do some photography soon after writing this, for sure!!! What a great story and man you got some lungs or what??!!!! 6300k vertical ascent???? and Mount Evans the day before?? The picture are awesome... beautiful light....unbelievable!!! Great job!!!
Posted by Kalin Wilson on August 6, 2009 at 7:41 PM
Beautiful stuff, man! I'm always inspired by the effort you put in to get your shots. Great stuff! I'm really loving how lush everything is this late in the year - nothing like the drought years!
Thanks for the narrative and great pics!
Posted by Eric Vaughan on August 6, 2009 at 8:14 PM
Sounds like a hell of a trip, but you got some great shots. Really love the ponds surrounded by grass.
Posted by Todd Caudle on August 6, 2009 at 8:30 PM
It really isn't fair that one person should be capable of so much, but I'm sure glad you are, so we get to see these amazing images.
Posted by Art Escobado on August 6, 2009 at 9:02 PM
the reflection shots are great, and the steel grays and blues of #4 rock!
Posted by Klaus Priebe on August 6, 2009 at 10:54 PM
Excellent series of shots. The trek definately paid off.
Posted by Roger Rouch on August 6, 2009 at 11:45 PM
These are some of the nicest high country scenes I've seen in some time! I'll add my thanks in sharing them. They are indeed inspiring.
Posted by Jeremy Week on August 7, 2009 at 12:01 AM
Some truly wonderful work here! Thanks for sharing.
Posted by Craig Schultz on August 7, 2009 at 2:02 AM
Great story Jody! I have always wondered where JF took that photo too; glad you had the perseverance to get there yourself. Now could you tell me the easy way to get back there????
Love the shots, 1, 4 and 5 definitely have a Zen feeling, gorgeous.
Craig
Posted by Jack Garrett on August 7, 2009 at 10:08 AM
These are AWESOME Jody! I went in search of another Fielder Icon yesterday but didn't have the luck you had. I'll be posting my story later.
These are simply awesome images, Jody! The story behind them is incredible and you're the only one I know with the legs and stamina to pull it off, and then the weather cooperated with some sweet light to reward your efforts. I think I would have been too tired by the time I got there to even be able to compose anything, yet you put the tiredness on the shelf and came away with stellar comps.
Discussion
44 repliesIn the past I have ventured into the Gore Mountain Range from the east and the west sides before and all I can tell you is the west side is very tame compared to that of the East. The East side does not really offer many short option hikes to get into the heart of the range. When you get off the beaten path as I have done you will be amazed how many huge downed trees lie in the forest.
My roundtrip journey ended up being 19 miles and 6300ft+ of vertical ascent. Only the first 4.5 miles out was on a real trail after that it became a bushwhack and a bushwhack it was, crossing streams and climbing over many hundreds of downed trees with a big pack definitely gets old after a while. It took me just over 6 hours to get to my designated campsite and boy was I wiped out by the time I got there. Maybe this was because the day before I had done my annual bike ride up Mount Evans from Idaho Springs, who knows???
So I get to my spot and quickly put up my tent because the mosquito’s are out of control then take a short nap. Naps done now lets find out if I have won the Zen lottery? So I here I am hiking further up a remote wilderness basin just awe struck by the scenery with all the lush greenery, streams, ponds, pool and what not and now I have to cross another stream this time its only about 8 feet cross but its like 3-4 feet deep no way am I wading thru that, luck happens I find a downed log across the stream. Here I am crossing log number 12+ and what do you know it I slip and end up almost to my waist in the dam thing......where's my Zen now? Its becoming late evening my camp is further down stream and here I am soaking wet threw. I am like, I am finding these dam Zen Ponds if it kills me. I find the ponds snap a quick couple of pictures, then I ask myself what would Bear Gryliss do? Build fire, take wet clothes off and attempt to get warm and dry. So I do and it begins to start raining a little.....ahhh....breath in breath out.....at this point I have my rain jacket and pants and its a little cool outside. Remember the mosquitos, well they are having a field day on my body, fresh ground meat to them, little b@$tards!
Clothes and boots are a little drier now, clouds are clearing away just in time for some nice evening light, now I have my Zen……it makes it all worth while.
2:40am my alarm goes off, now its time to pack up the tent and hike back up the nasty rocky and snow slope so I can get to my sunrise location. When I mean nasty I mean I have 1600ft vertical feet to climb in just over half a mile, oh yeah in the pitch dark, with all my gear, sounds like fun…uh NO! I get to my sunrise location with time to make a brew of coffee and start to watch the day unfold before my eyes.
P.S Chapter 5 will come at a later date.
I am sure there is lots of spelling and grammar errors here, written English was not my forte at school. Waiting on a comment from Todd C. now.
RichieV
Joe.
I'd say your mosquito experience mirrored mine. B@s!ards ate me alive every place I've gone this summer. They're always bad in the mountains, but they seem exceptionally bad this year.
"Get out there, people!"
Great stuff here like everyone else has said.
I'll take a few of those bug bites if I can get a #4 and #5 to go with them.
Cool story.
Brian
Thanks for the narrative and great pics!
Love the shots, 1, 4 and 5 definitely have a Zen feeling, gorgeous.
Craig
I like # 5 the best, but they are all fantastic. Hope you recovered well from those little pests.