Holy Sh_t. What some of us go thru for a photo.
But, hey, where was the snake on the ridge? Woulda' been a lot scarier with a
snake! <g>
george
Ken Norton wrote:
> Kerry,
>
> Your snake/ridgeline story got me thinking. I've had a couple interesting
> run-ins with snakes, but they pale in comparision (I think). Like the time
> in Virgina I stayed overnight in this really old (200+) log cabin in
> Highland County. Snakes were rampant, both poisioness and non. It was hot
> that night so we slept in the screened in porch. About 1 AM I looked up and
> saw the ceiling moving. I turned the flashlight on and there were several
> snakes directly above our heads! One of them dropped down on the other guy.
> Needless to say, we trashed a few snakes that night!
>
> Another time I was mountain biking in Michigan and a snake got picked up by
> my tire and slung around my ankle.
>
> Finally, a ridge story: I was out in New Mexico in the Red River area one
> late fall. I was photographing for a fishing article. We were camped up at
> a small glacial lake completely surrounded on three sides by a 600 foot
> ridge. I noted that according to the map there was a trail that zigzagged
> up the cliff face to the ridge. I located the trail and proceeded to set
> out on the trail. This trail went up at between 45 and 60 degree angle up
> this nearly vertical wall. When I started out, it was about 40 degrees and
> partly cloudy. By the time I reached the top the temperature had dropped a
> couple degrees, it was sleeting and the wind was picking up. A mountain top
> was about a half mile hike from there, so I set out for it, making note of
> where I had emerged from the trail. Before I reached the top it started
> snowing and the temperature dropped to around 30. I'm wearing a Goretex
> wind/rain jacket and sweatshirt, light gloves and windpants, but no hat.
> Being from Michigan, this was no big deal--until the wind and snow turned
> into a full-blown whiteout. Before leaving the top, I checked my watch and
> set the stopwatch. I calculated that since it was almost exactly a half
> mile, I would return to the trail in almost exactly 30 minutes. (slower
> pace, due to the now icy conditions).
>
> Unfortunately I have to walk on the windward side of the mountain as the
> leeward side was slippery and if I fell, I could slide off the cliff. After
> 15 minutes, the wind was really howling and my entire right side is frozen.
> I have slipped and fallen a couple times and turned my ankle.. I seek
> shelter behind some rocks and pause the stopwatch while resting. Visibility
> is about 20 feet and there is now three inches of fresh snow on the ground.
> I resume and continue on after eating a Snickers bar--aware that I only have
> one more left.
>
> At the thirty minute point I stop. I could swear that I've been hiking for
> 3-4 hours, but I had to continously remind myself to trust my watch. I
> carefully make my way down the leeward side of the ridge to the cliff. I
> can't find the trailhead! There is only one way off this ridge and I can't
> find it! I say another prayer (actually, I've been doing that the whole
> time!!!). I set my watch on the 3-minute timer and walk one direction.
> When the alarm went off, I reset it to 6 minutes and walked back the other
> direction. Just before the alarm goes off I locate the trailhead. Boy am I
> glad I spent time studying orienteering.
>
> Finally, out of the wind! That is a relief, but I know that the decent is
> going to be wild. First of all, my body temperature has dropped and I'm
> shivering uncontrollably. I take a few swallows of water from my bottle and
> I realize that I'm dehydrated too. I know that I have to get my body
> temperature up before I decend so I do some jumping jacks and running in
> place. It helps.
>
> Going down this trail had me about the most scared I've ever been. Twice I
> slipped and slid almost 20 feet. The trail is now icy and my gloves are
> fingerless (for shooting) so my fingers are flozen and bleeding. I fall and
> slide off the trail, but past training taught me to always have three
> contact points and one of those saved my hide. It takes me almost two hours
> to decend this trail and by the time I reach bottom I am cut, oozing blood,
> bruised, wet, frozen and humbled.
>
> For the most part, I didn't sense much danger in the entire adventure, but a
> couple times I did think that this really was a matter of life and death.
> Had I not utilized the stopwatch I would never have found the trailhead.
> Going down the zigzag I was absolutely terrified a couple times and actually
> used the camera strap to snag on rocks to give me a handhold that would have
> been out of my reach.
>
> Hot soup never tasted so good!
>
> Olympus Content: OM-1, Tokina 35-70, and 24/2.8 were in the pack.
>
> Ken N.
>
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