The Great Outdoors

Evo

Does this mean you've decided against the Tibetan Sky Funeral?

Evo

Did you see what that brave team of climbers went through to reach the summit? I'm really surprised someone didn't twist an ankle in one of those cracks. I know that I, for one, could have never made it across that ladder bridge.

Astronuc

I don't know if there are any vultures up that high. I need to do research.

I'd light it myself.

On the other hand, if there are vultures around, I'd be tempted to go that route.

Borek

I know you can break a leg in a place that is flat as a pancake, still, I think Mount Sunflower is not beyond your reach. You just have to believe.

turbo

Don't you think she ought to train for a while before trying to make a first ascent on that monster? Baby steps!

Dembadon

A childhood friend of mine spent a few years in South America and has shared some amazing pictures. He (Ryan) is the person in the pictures.



Santa Cruz range at early morning above Laguna Azulcocha, Cordillera Blanca, Peru.



Cordillera Huayhuash, Peru.



El Calafate Glaciar, Argentina.



Piedras Blancas glacier, El Chalten, Argentina.



Deathroad, Bolivia. (He named the picture "Sphincter contraction")



Awesome canyons just outside Tupiza, Bolivia.

turbo

Awesome shots, Dembadon!

Dembadon

I only wish I could have been there!!

He is currently on his way to El Salvador and has promised to upload more photos when internet access is available.

Borek

Just wow.

Astronuc

Very cool!

The awesome canyons just outside Tupiza, Bolivia look a lot like Bryce and Zion in Utah.

http://www.nps.gov/brca/index.htm

http://www.nps.gov/brca/photosmultim...otogallery.htm

http://www.nps.gov/Zion/index.htm

http://home.nps.gov/zion/photosmulti...otogallery.htm

Evo

Awesome pictures Dembadon!!

Astronuc

One can even here the echo - sort of.

Dembadon

Here are some more shots from his travels:

I've added the actual captions from his photos on those that apply.




Iguassu falls.


Cerro Torre – The Rock Tower. El Chaltén, Patagonia, Argentina.



Petrified falls.


Torres Del Paine, Chile.

His photos are a welcome reprieve from the dullness of my cubicle.

DanP

The dream of so many climbers. And a major climb by any standard. Did he climbed in the area, or just visited ?


Cerro Torre – The Rock Tower. El Chaltén, Patagonia, Argentina.

Dembadon

He is an avid climber, but I don't know whether or not he made the ascent that trip.

Gokul43201

Dembadon: Those are gorgeous pics from the Andes/Patagonia. Someday, when I've got enough money ...

Meanwhile, I've been going out exploring my local neck of the woods, i.e. the White Mountains in New Hampshire. More often than not, the views are spoiled by finding yourself in a cloud when you get to the summit, but every now and then, you get above treeline on a clear day and get some very nice views.

I took this picture of Mt Washington (NH) on a beautiful, sunny (albeit windy, but that can't be helped in these parts) day last weekend, from the summit of nearby Mt Adams:



Like Turbo said, being in the Appalachians, most of these mountains are soft, rounded hunks of rock. One of the less rounded peaks in the area is Mount Madison, the northernmost peak on the Presidential range, with its beautiful and nearly conical shape (pic taken the same day, from the same location).

turbo

Notice the tower in Gokul's first picture. That is part of the weather station on Mount Washington, the place that has recorded the highest wind-speed in the US. Our mountains may be rounded and weathered, but our weather is spiky!