Kebler Pass is fine this year. For those of you that know the Kebler Pass area, this place is just too big for everything to be "average." There is no doubt the lack of moisture has effected the lower elevations of the pass (Erickson Springs). But, the further east you go, ther higher you get; and that's where things area pretty much on target. I spent a lot of time in the Horsepark Ranch area where things looked pretty darn good to me.
Day 1-climbed West Beckwith Peak and took a sunset shot from the east ridge looking further east toward East Beckwith and Crested Butte. I've been up a lot of mountains, this one is easily the most exposed climb I've been up without a rope. I'm not really sure why I wanted to finish the climb, after the shot, which was after sunset, but I did...
Hiked out in pitch dark with my GPS in my right hand for 3 hrs. Got back to the tent at 11:00 pm. Passed out.
Day 2- Woke up "beat" from my W Beckwith idea. Decided the next two days would be spent shooting gold aspen....in magical light. That means I needed a place to be above the canopy, at the right time of day. Google Earth showed a few places off the beaten path that looked good. Later that night I found a nice rock outcropping that overlooked the Dark Canyon area for a sunset opportunity. Honestly, I knew this was a better spot for sunrise but needed something mellow. That night, I found my place for sunset. I wanted to hike out to the end of a rock-outcropping for a "mellow shot" up the Dark Canyon drainage.
At this point I decided to pull a 300lb boulder onto my shin...
So much for "Taking it Easy....and Mellow Shot"
It happened so fast, I was thrilled to be alive. The I realized the boulder had dropped onto my shin and dug a hole. I ripped my toes out from underneath the boulder, and watched blood literally squirt out from my shin. Happy that the boulder didn't crush my toes.. I still panicked.
I tied my dirty sock around my calf and shin to cut off the squirting blood effect.
At this point I decided NOT to panic, because I was clearly panicing. I waited.....the "squirting blood" stopped squirting from my schin. Sure it felt like a 300lb man with steal toe'd boots just kicked me in the shin as hard as he could. It was just too nice to see the blood stop shooting from my shin.
Excellent, "I get to shoot sunset up here! Yea"
While I shot sunset photos I realized I needed to drive to Crested Butte to clean my leg up. I wanted my Nurse wife Tricia to have a look (Iphone Photos) at my wound and assess if I needed to drive to Gunnison for Urgent Care.
She freaked out of course, then ended up realizing I was OK and recommended butterfly strips, along with cleaning the heck out of the wound with various liquids and ointments.
That night I drove back to my tent sight off the Kebler Pass road and took shots of the "Aspen Zodiac" photo I submitted a few days ago.
The next morning I was SORE. No climbing today.
I still managed to hike up to the "Orange Aspen" spot in the popular "Dyke" photos we've all viewed in the past.
http://www.kaephotography.com/photo/sea-of-color/
BTW, the aspen trees up there are about as nice as they get.
Here's a crappy blend photo of the place I about got killed. This little sidewalk doesn't get any traffic; evidence by the load of scrub oak (bushwhacking) along the ridge and the loose rock. I wanted to get out to the very end of this ridge, and that's where it happened. There's a tiny notch out there, where I needed to downclimb a few feet and reclimb to the ridge crest. When I reached up to pull myself back up to the ridgecrest I tested the rock. The rock just let loose onto my shin.
Note to self' "when you test a boulder, be sure if it DOES come loose and fall, your feet are not under the boulder." I was incredibly lucky it didn't push me off the side of this ridge.
Posted by Jack Garrett on October 8, 2010 at 1:37 AM
I am gonna make another pitch here for Spot GPS locator. I carry mine all the time for what ifs. What if that rock had pinned you and you weren't able to shout for help..or if you did and nobody heard you? With the handy dandy SPOT attached to you, simply hit the 911 button and help is on it's way!! Since I'm a little "older", I consider it my lifeline...and it makes my wife feel better too.
What an amazing series of work Kane! I truly enjoy your images and glad you are okay
Posted by Bill Pelzmann on October 8, 2010 at 4:49 AM
Excellent collection, Kane. I really like the varied compositions that you found with the wideangle aspen canopy shots.
Glad to hear your injuries were "minor". I found myself on several tetering boulders while scrambling around the Snowy Mountain moraines this summer. It certainly catches you by surprise when one of those huge blocks start moving!
Posted by Erik Aagaard on October 8, 2010 at 10:05 AM
I am impressed, both with your adventure and the results!
Posted by Stan Rose on October 8, 2010 at 12:13 PM
Be careful man, dont want to kill yourself over a couple photos
Some really pretty stuff! I actually like that linked shot of your near-death spot the best! The affects of SAD are evident in those Kebler shots--it would be interesting to compare the wide views of Kebler from shots 6 years ago, before the aspen started getting wiped out.
Posted by Brian Jackson on October 8, 2010 at 1:14 PM
What, no blood shots? Really nice collection you got there Kane.
Posted by D J Kuklinski on October 8, 2010 at 2:41 PM
Great collection of images. Glad you came out of it alive!
Posted by Jack Brauer on October 8, 2010 at 2:57 PM
I love the two mountain shots, as well as the milky way one. I tried to hike up East Beckwith once in the autumn, and had to eventually turn around because I simply could not find a scramble-able route up it, at least on the side where I went (from Lost Lake Slough).
Great work and a great read Kane. Glad you alright! Love the photographs.
John
Posted by Rod Chandler on October 8, 2010 at 5:25 PM
Beautiful work Kane. To echo Jack Garrett, I too carry the SPOT device. When I leave the car for a hike I signal OK. When I reach my destination, I signal OK. When I return to the car I signal OK. That way my wife, son and brother, all of whom receive the signals, know I have completed my trip as planned. I have never needed it but I also have that 9-1-1 button just in case. I'm 69 so who knows? Look into the SPOT if you haven't already.
Thanks for all the very nice comments. Yes, the Spot is a great safety device. I picked one up a few years ago and use it every trip. My wife has become dependant on it sending her OK messages. A few weeks ago, I did that Gibson Peak hike and forgot it. Got back to the truck at 10:00 pm and boy was she freaking out at 10:15 when I finally got a phone call out to her.
Discussion
18 repliesDay 1-climbed West Beckwith Peak and took a sunset shot from the east ridge looking further east toward East Beckwith and Crested Butte. I've been up a lot of mountains, this one is easily the most exposed climb I've been up without a rope. I'm not really sure why I wanted to finish the climb, after the shot, which was after sunset, but I did...
Hiked out in pitch dark with my GPS in my right hand for 3 hrs. Got back to the tent at 11:00 pm. Passed out.
Day 2- Woke up "beat" from my W Beckwith idea. Decided the next two days would be spent shooting gold aspen....in magical light. That means I needed a place to be above the canopy, at the right time of day. Google Earth showed a few places off the beaten path that looked good. Later that night I found a nice rock outcropping that overlooked the Dark Canyon area for a sunset opportunity. Honestly, I knew this was a better spot for sunrise but needed something mellow. That night, I found my place for sunset. I wanted to hike out to the end of a rock-outcropping for a "mellow shot" up the Dark Canyon drainage.
At this point I decided to pull a 300lb boulder onto my shin...
So much for "Taking it Easy....and Mellow Shot"
It happened so fast, I was thrilled to be alive. The I realized the boulder had dropped onto my shin and dug a hole. I ripped my toes out from underneath the boulder, and watched blood literally squirt out from my shin. Happy that the boulder didn't crush my toes.. I still panicked.
I tied my dirty sock around my calf and shin to cut off the squirting blood effect.
At this point I decided NOT to panic, because I was clearly panicing. I waited.....the "squirting blood" stopped squirting from my schin. Sure it felt like a 300lb man with steal toe'd boots just kicked me in the shin as hard as he could. It was just too nice to see the blood stop shooting from my shin.
Excellent, "I get to shoot sunset up here! Yea"
While I shot sunset photos I realized I needed to drive to Crested Butte to clean my leg up. I wanted my Nurse wife Tricia to have a look (Iphone Photos) at my wound and assess if I needed to drive to Gunnison for Urgent Care.
She freaked out of course, then ended up realizing I was OK and recommended butterfly strips, along with cleaning the heck out of the wound with various liquids and ointments.
That night I drove back to my tent sight off the Kebler Pass road and took shots of the "Aspen Zodiac" photo I submitted a few days ago.
The next morning I was SORE. No climbing today.
I still managed to hike up to the "Orange Aspen" spot in the popular "Dyke" photos we've all viewed in the past.
http://www.kaephotography.com/photo/sea-of-color/
BTW, the aspen trees up there are about as nice as they get.
Here's a collection of shots from the trip.
Hope you enjoy. Critique always welcome.
http://www.kaephotography.com/gallery/fall/
Kane
Great image collection, really different and diverse. (btw, it's Horse Ranch Park, not Horsepark Ranch)
Here's a crappy blend photo of the place I about got killed. This little sidewalk doesn't get any traffic; evidence by the load of scrub oak (bushwhacking) along the ridge and the loose rock. I wanted to get out to the very end of this ridge, and that's where it happened. There's a tiny notch out there, where I needed to downclimb a few feet and reclimb to the ridge crest. When I reached up to pull myself back up to the ridgecrest I tested the rock. The rock just let loose onto my shin.
Note to self' "when you test a boulder, be sure if it DOES come loose and fall, your feet are not under the boulder." I was incredibly lucky it didn't push me off the side of this ridge.
http://c0278592.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/original/668791.jpg
Glad to hear your injuries were "minor". I found myself on several tetering boulders while scrambling around the Snowy Mountain moraines this summer. It certainly catches you by surprise when one of those huge blocks start moving!
Glad that you are fine.
Some really pretty stuff! I actually like that linked shot of your near-death spot the best! The affects of SAD are evident in those Kebler shots--it would be interesting to compare the wide views of Kebler from shots 6 years ago, before the aspen started getting wiped out.
John