Posts
February, 2010
Thanks to the photographic wizardry of Genesis Studio, my likeness now graces the cover of QUEST magazine's February edition... It seems I have at last "arrived."
1 year ago
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
A Photographic Journey...
February, 2010
Appalachian Trail, NC/TN
Our journey begins at the base of Yellow Mountain in Avery County, North Carolina. After getting Kenny's SUV stuck and unstuck several times (an adventure unto itself), we finally park and unload. Snowflakes are already wafting sideways, and the snow is 2-2 1/2 feet deep.
We hike in snowshoes, a necessity in the deep snow. And not that it is a huge concern in the Appalachians, but we all wear protective eyeglasses to guard against snow-blindness, a more dangerous threat to mountaineers. The ones you see above belong to a friend; they are authentic glacier glasses that eliminate glare and shield the eyes from the elements.
We hike 2 miles to the shelter and drop our backpacks. Then - as the skies clear - we hike higher. Looking back, you can see the Overmountain Shelter, where we'll stay over night. In the far distance, Roan Mountain touches the sky.
The Overmountain Shelter. Look closely and you can see the tracks where Will and Chris did some impromptu sledding on a plastic sheet!
The higher we climb, the more interesting the ice formations! Just one of many up there! In some places, there are "ice globs" the size of grapefruits hanging from branches! (See previous posts for photos of these).
We are running out of daylight but push on, regardless.
Kenneth looking intense, as usual!
As the sun sets, we must turn back. Here, Chris and Will admire the view amidst gently falling snow.
During the night, the temperature drops to 12 degrees, but with winds as powerful as 24 mph, the windchill factor makes the temperature -1 degrees! Snow pours through the wooden slabs and leave their frigid mark on our sleeping bags as we sleep not-so-peacefully. In the morning, we awake to howling wind and swirling snow clouds. We can no longer see the valley and decide to hike back to the car before things get worse. As we trek through the storm, the snow's average depth appears to be 4 1/2 feet. In some places, snow drifts tower above us, reaching close to 7 feet! We are relieved to find the SUV not covered in snow, and we're able to high-tail it outta there with our frost-bitten fingers and toes still intact!
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Photo of the Week # 17
"White Sun Setting"
Appalachian Trail
Little Hump Mountain, NC/TN
Chris leads Will, Kenny, and I back to the Overmountain Shelter, where we'll spend a dangerous night amidst howling winds, swirling snow-clones, and temperatures far below freezing.
Photo by Sir Evan with Nikon Coolpix S570
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Adventure Returns!
February, 2010
Hello all! My sincere apologies for a long term absence. It's been a challenge to find the time for blogging over the last couple months, because so much has been going on! I have recently returned from a winter expedition among the Mountain Highlands of North Carolina and Tennessee. Friends - Will, Kenny, Chris - and I ventured to the Overmountain Victory Trail at the base of Yellow Mountain in Avery, North Carolina. With 2 1/2 feet of snow already on the ground (and more falling!) we snowshoed 2 miles to the Overmountain Shelter, a converted barn and Thru-hiker favorite. Snowshoeing was a real adventure, a first for all of us! It was a real challenge, physically, but so much fun! Over the course of our trip, we experienced hellacious weather: 24 mph winds, -1 degrees, 6 foot snow drifts, and more. We also saw snow-layered valleys, ice-laden trees, and luminous skies. In short, it was a blast!
(Kenny and I ready for the trek!)
(Ice Glob)
Keep a watchful eye on the horizon! Many more photos and videos to come!
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
The Week in Photos
January, 2010
So far, the new year is off to a good start! My friend, Kenny, and I recently took a day trip to Stone Mountain State Park in North Carolina. It was a beautiful day with prime weather conditions and plenty of solitude. It was also a perfect opportunity to try out my new camera! All of these photos were taken with the new Nikon Coolpix and edited with a Macbook. Enjoy!
(Kenny discovers the mountain)
(Raptors Swarming)
(Twisted vantage...)
(The "Hero Tree" standing tall on Stone Mountain...
Cedar Rock in the background)
(Reflective pool...)
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