tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16976550494987257002024-02-07T14:01:05.491-08:00Adam Angel PhotographyFine Art Images of the World. Rainier, Kilimanjaro, Nepal and Tibet.Adam Angel Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17224667119093116384noreply@blogger.comBlogger65125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1697655049498725700.post-50565937399041921162012-08-27T10:25:00.000-07:002012-08-27T10:25:28.177-07:00Moving to Kalakora.comThe blog for Adam Angel Photography and the blog for the Mt Rainier Institute of Photography are moving to Kalakora.com. The Kalākora
Gallery will serve as the umbrella for both. Thanks for visiting!<br />
~AdamAdam Angel Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17224667119093116384noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1697655049498725700.post-8819633684286790122010-11-06T09:41:00.000-07:002010-11-06T13:03:19.848-07:00Annapurna Sanctuary, Nepal. Evolving Perspective. Launching the next generation beyond our imagination through experience.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbDPov1Wu5tmn0Tf9ldXaYrSCZBILpwy4jnEUF7Qlk-Qh10audCb2FwjNx30pwryfoGTCIXbaIG2V2lLHiOhwtCMnRh3Ekxc6lS6ri0EPDGiluFDiS-14vFUBdWunV_4DWRfXeJ03ixYQ/s1600/20101024_Annapurna_0915.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbDPov1Wu5tmn0Tf9ldXaYrSCZBILpwy4jnEUF7Qlk-Qh10audCb2FwjNx30pwryfoGTCIXbaIG2V2lLHiOhwtCMnRh3Ekxc6lS6ri0EPDGiluFDiS-14vFUBdWunV_4DWRfXeJ03ixYQ/s1600/20101024_Annapurna_0915.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><i>November, 2009.</i> Looking at the legs of my daughter Asia, I could see that 4.5 years of country living and skiing (from the time she could walk) had built one stout kid. Every time I lead a trip I see our customers enjoying their travel companions and families and can't help but wish that my loved ones were there as well. Was Asia ready to trek in the Himalayas??? Was I ready for what can only be described and "parenting" and "guiding" on steroids..? Only one way to find out...<br />
<br />
On my last trip to Nepal I visited a map store in Kathmandu. An Annapurna Sanctuary Trek map leaped off the shelf for some reason that day, and it now sat neatly amongst my other maps here in the home office. The high point of the trek is Annapurna Base Camp at 13,550'. That's almost a thousand feet lower than the summit of Mt. Rainier just over the hill here. If there was a trek that a five year old could do, it would be this one.<br />
<br />
<i>Fast forward to October, 2010</i>. 33 hours of travel. PDX-LAX-ICN-KTM. I'm an idiot, what was I thinking? Actually, not that bad. Not the worst travel experience I've had. Of course I've seen some bad shit in my time... Would it be worth it?<br />
<br />
Immediately and without pause, everyone that I have talked with says, “She’s too young to remember the trip, why don’t you wait until she is older?" Well, it's all about building a global perspective and living with that perception. This is more important than it sounds, and we've dedicated a whole talk to it at noon on December 2nd at the Roxy Theater in Morton, WA. It is offered through Centralia College's Lyceum Lecture Series and is free to the public. Shanna, Asia and I will be there to show you what we saw, what we learned, and how our perspectives continue to evolve.<br />
<br />
<br />
See you then.<br />
AdamAdam Angel Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17224667119093116384noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1697655049498725700.post-28779404238057921292010-09-03T09:32:00.000-07:002010-09-03T09:32:06.791-07:00Harvest IIIn September of 2008 I wrote a blog entry <a href="http://adamangelphoto.blogspot.com/2008/09/harvest.html">"Harvest"</a>.<br />
<blockquote><i>Without even looking at a calendar it is apparent when an equinox or solstice in nigh. There is a definitive moment when in total presence and clarity, I stop for a second, and say to myself "Fall is in the air." I can't put my finger on it, and I can't describe exactly what it is, but when it happens... I know. All of the times that I have scented that change in 36 years come together as an annual moment of continuity in my physical existence. This happens every year for each changing of the season, and I have no doubt that my senses are far more accurate than the calendar's interpretation. It is around these events that I feel most alive, and for a while after college and before settling down, these profound moments coincided with traveling. A summer job ends and there is time to roam until the ski season starts. You meet travelers along the way on similar journeys. Now that I am settled into one community, I can experience elements of that change that I haven't experienced since I was the reason for my parents nesting. My parents nested down for the winter in 1972 for me; and from 2005 on.... I nest for my child. It is time to harvest from the efforts of the year. I won't wait until December, I want to have a few months to enjoy the fruits and to ease into a cozy nest for winter with my closest loved ones. I feel this excitement today, as we reach a new plateau with our daughter. This week the whole family will travel together to my old stomping grounds in the Tetons. Again, the circle is coming round.</i></blockquote>In one month we will embark on an even greater journey. Shanna, Asia (now 5), and I will journey to Annapurna Sanctuary Nepal. We will post updates to Facebook and this blog, as well as daily location updates using SPOT. SPOT sends our location via satellite and displays it in near real time on google maps for you to follow. We will present images and stories from the trip at noon on December 2nd at the Roxy Theater in Morton, WA.<br />
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Adam.Adam Angel Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17224667119093116384noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1697655049498725700.post-41303656787265073012010-07-31T08:11:00.000-07:002010-07-31T08:11:13.446-07:00Late July clouds are awesome!The clouds have been great this past week. This was shot from the lookout above town. This is a huge 33 Megapixel image. I am going to need a bigger printer! It is available for purchase at <a href="http://www.adamangel.com/#a=0&at=0&mi=2&pt=1&pi=10000&s=4&p=0">AdamAngel.com</a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhElrhPoeyQezA1AKoP17jtBy20A5DjM2N72WK95id9yC1EVF2cV6T7N7Ewemc1GOSp6q6ZixWpDmOkBvxnSABKq6hyQn72xRXmxKPAbLJHi-_5iPG2NdflXmysbaT2Nbcen4iHUreft18/s1600/Peterman_Rainier3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="596" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhElrhPoeyQezA1AKoP17jtBy20A5DjM2N72WK95id9yC1EVF2cV6T7N7Ewemc1GOSp6q6ZixWpDmOkBvxnSABKq6hyQn72xRXmxKPAbLJHi-_5iPG2NdflXmysbaT2Nbcen4iHUreft18/s640/Peterman_Rainier3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
AdamAdam Angel Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17224667119093116384noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1697655049498725700.post-37448611987558280042010-07-26T23:21:00.000-07:002010-07-26T23:21:41.076-07:00High Resolution Image of Mt. Rainier SummitFollow this link to see a high resolution (10,000 pixel wide) panoramic image of Mount Rainier's top!<br />
<br />
<i>Give it time to load as you pan around.</i><br />
<a href="http://www.adamangel.com/data/web/Mount_Rainier_Summit.html">http://www.adamangel.com/data/web/Mount_Rainier_Summit.html</a><br />
<br />
Enjoy,<br />
AdamAdam Angel Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17224667119093116384noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1697655049498725700.post-10290589474005713742010-07-14T19:16:00.000-07:002010-07-14T19:16:54.421-07:00Huge Gallery Updates!Some days ARE better than others. Some days are just cleaning. Some are running errands for materials. Some are spent just imagining how to do a unique, special, and affordable renovation to the gallery. On occasion there is a great sense of accomplishment and reward. I used to think that climbing mountains taught you patience. Boy was I wrong! LIFE teaches you patience.<br />
<br />
Today we finished the new steps, and the new (sustainably harvested) African mahogany doors arrived. The large one (without the frame) is 4' X 8'. Now that's a door. The steps are made from solid 4" X 12" lumber and are anchored directly to the outside of the vault wall. I'd bet in 1920, they never planned on that happening!!<br />
<br />
Pictured on the steps is Brad Klein. Brad is where the Ideas meet Reality. Thanks for the doors Steve Caskey. After seeing these doors in real life, I hope that the rest of the renovation match their quality.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzvh1yjNkR9Eb6TcXuDQGEmiTc5SmrnXzaUwa_qyxpFuN-ropCiNmD9VClGFLRH94twNi655VtkX4z29HZ_N3Lnt5ic31t95WXJ9UOv5m-KItdc2GXOUcRmgFq7pZardAfoz4ictS0FKo/s1600/20100714_0010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzvh1yjNkR9Eb6TcXuDQGEmiTc5SmrnXzaUwa_qyxpFuN-ropCiNmD9VClGFLRH94twNi655VtkX4z29HZ_N3Lnt5ic31t95WXJ9UOv5m-KItdc2GXOUcRmgFq7pZardAfoz4ictS0FKo/s640/20100714_0010.jpg" width="482" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLk5Q6UighOt5vgjsF1ur1fxVutLRiN2_ON0mQqEHirGc7mXbjTLvvNCYreosLfgEfIRkAH_yIv-z7pLpCIms0Rlpl-K_02CsUNUJ2rg_6f6kryIZc3smQ7eTmMZAVgllaP0e1TtkgTk8/s1600/20100714_0014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLk5Q6UighOt5vgjsF1ur1fxVutLRiN2_ON0mQqEHirGc7mXbjTLvvNCYreosLfgEfIRkAH_yIv-z7pLpCIms0Rlpl-K_02CsUNUJ2rg_6f6kryIZc3smQ7eTmMZAVgllaP0e1TtkgTk8/s640/20100714_0014.jpg" width="480" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP_wPP5SQ3H5IVONExuNLN116ZlXX57z1K5KzSd58O2U-CIDSPBsO9NvEpXidoXuIhraUrj6Fk6u9H2kRlXMIBrNIXXWxGag2vUhVgXWsyp8clR-ERRNLim-864HaD9oEzqMx8ua8RP-o/s1600/20100714_0011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP_wPP5SQ3H5IVONExuNLN116ZlXX57z1K5KzSd58O2U-CIDSPBsO9NvEpXidoXuIhraUrj6Fk6u9H2kRlXMIBrNIXXWxGag2vUhVgXWsyp8clR-ERRNLim-864HaD9oEzqMx8ua8RP-o/s640/20100714_0011.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>Adam Angel Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17224667119093116384noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1697655049498725700.post-84477739043694454172010-07-10T14:25:00.000-07:002010-07-10T14:25:52.736-07:00Kilimanjaro by Moonlight.Kilimanjaro by Moonlight from Karanga Camp, Kilimanjaro National Park. June 2010.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB6NlPXZxyNFSjPxPdjLAxn18wP7tJcACZKKS9vThcL_FZs8GXXDPcHotO7qay9KY0-bfb979Qx2_UPOZ3bS6jFzNxwMCoSli6Bnh6YaxhjGUCJFTx03aqbCvkOC1ZGVhsQLGDzaqOF_c/s1600/adam_angel_kili610_8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB6NlPXZxyNFSjPxPdjLAxn18wP7tJcACZKKS9vThcL_FZs8GXXDPcHotO7qay9KY0-bfb979Qx2_UPOZ3bS6jFzNxwMCoSli6Bnh6YaxhjGUCJFTx03aqbCvkOC1ZGVhsQLGDzaqOF_c/s640/adam_angel_kili610_8.jpg" width="572" /></a></div>Adam Angel Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17224667119093116384noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1697655049498725700.post-80567501468657103892010-07-05T09:08:00.000-07:002010-07-05T09:08:17.419-07:00Kilimanjaro and African Safari with International Mountain Guides, June 2010.Another great Kilimanjaro climb and African safari wraps up with great success. All 12 climbers to the top! The climb always exceeds expectations, and the challenges forge lifelong friendships in short time. Congratulations to Art, Ann, Colston, and Anna Edgerton; Rob and Meredith Elgar; John and Christina Porter; Elizah Mclaughlin, Shannon Smith and Donna Wise. Thank you to all of the local porters and guides who helped us stay healthy and strong on our way to the summit. It takes a special group of people to pull off such a feat!<br />
<br />
<i>Work hard then play hard.</i> After the climb we safaried in Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Crater. We stayed at some "off the beaten path" camps and lodges this time, which I think were some of the best lodging experiences I've had on 11 safaris. Good living and good friends all the way. Can't wait to go back next year! <br />
<br />
Adam Angel, IMG Guide.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDW7vbYwKV_OP-opklpdELTAD_Nr6w7BrPGqjkS2IVUBWrL_Dqbv5-OcuhbLZKfA5lAy2WIyem7snrZz9_aqgmV5l_f46R8XWZw-FpBbkrTDzZACYDCX7SZm-ckDAqKAhOwLackRJd7YQ/s1600/20100618_2010_6_Kilimanjaro_0796.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDW7vbYwKV_OP-opklpdELTAD_Nr6w7BrPGqjkS2IVUBWrL_Dqbv5-OcuhbLZKfA5lAy2WIyem7snrZz9_aqgmV5l_f46R8XWZw-FpBbkrTDzZACYDCX7SZm-ckDAqKAhOwLackRJd7YQ/s640/20100618_2010_6_Kilimanjaro_0796.jpg" width="428" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSJyJ_3DqFqeEZi8PhckLrxDh0_7P_uJyxKaetIZW5V5i3shoBYOYzdTCb2CE9qM6p5SN-rHHpLqWONqQHo4Uxz5TlmsR_uRZ-aKbxlH1w8pZNU2SwSEf_ltHDrR0KOpyPKGS9gW0Qvaw/s1600/20100624_2010_6_Kilimanjaro_0196.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSJyJ_3DqFqeEZi8PhckLrxDh0_7P_uJyxKaetIZW5V5i3shoBYOYzdTCb2CE9qM6p5SN-rHHpLqWONqQHo4Uxz5TlmsR_uRZ-aKbxlH1w8pZNU2SwSEf_ltHDrR0KOpyPKGS9gW0Qvaw/s640/20100624_2010_6_Kilimanjaro_0196.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMFahmtNSbqQCfnp0UP9VysGQeJ6mhh7IdvlmoTIda8DdrkNCoLLXtk_QZ4P7HJj9ZaY72ToE_K13hqACEMa9qJEbNVFzqnoaOXU9JUSCTFl2YDBhe_Yh2EP4d_cyev1k1WOQMZ64wHtk/s1600/20100622_2010_6_Kilimanjaro_0649.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="427" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMFahmtNSbqQCfnp0UP9VysGQeJ6mhh7IdvlmoTIda8DdrkNCoLLXtk_QZ4P7HJj9ZaY72ToE_K13hqACEMa9qJEbNVFzqnoaOXU9JUSCTFl2YDBhe_Yh2EP4d_cyev1k1WOQMZ64wHtk/s640/20100622_2010_6_Kilimanjaro_0649.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Adam Angel Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17224667119093116384noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1697655049498725700.post-39407426062288185842010-06-30T11:47:00.001-07:002010-06-30T11:47:53.002-07:00Mount Rainier Updates, Sunrise and Mowich Lake.SUNRISE AREA UPDATE:<br />
<br />
Mount Rainier National Park Superintendent Dave Uberuaga advises that<br />
Sunrise facilities will be opening on July 2 as planned however, due to<br />
water system issues caused by the cool, late spring, some visitor services<br />
may be limited over the Fourth of July weekend.<br />
<br />
Sunrise Ranger Station which is located on the ground floor of the Sunrise<br />
Day Lodge, will open on Friday, July 2. The Ranger Station will be used as<br />
the main visitor contact point this season while the Sunrise Visitor Center<br />
undergoes installation of new exhibits and other renovations. The<br />
renovation project, which is funded by the American Recovery and<br />
Reinvestment Act (ARRA) is scheduled to be completed by late August. The<br />
Ranger Station will provide visitor information and sales items as well as<br />
Ranger programs.<br />
<br />
Concession facilities in Sunrise Lodge will open on Saturday, July 3 and<br />
provide gift sales and limited pre-packaged food service. Once the water<br />
issue is resolved, normal food service will be available to visitors.<br />
<br />
MOWICH LAKE UPDATE:<br />
<br />
Due to continued cool temperatures and lingering snowpack, opening of the<br />
Mowich Lake road is being delayed until July 9 (noon). Much snow still<br />
remains at the lake and campground and the road into the lake is extremely<br />
wet and soft.<br />
<br />
NOTE: Visitors are reminded that a great deal of snow remains on the<br />
ground at the higher elevations of the park (6-8’ at Paradise and Sunrise)<br />
and trails remain snow covered. Lower elevation trails are relatively snow<br />
free. Check at the nearest visitor center or ranger station for current<br />
information or visit the Mount Rainier web page at www.nps.gov/mora and<br />
click on the Hiking and Climbing Quicklink for specific trail reports.<br />
<br />
-NPS-Adam Angel Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17224667119093116384noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1697655049498725700.post-36005006225240835532010-06-29T10:50:00.000-07:002010-06-30T06:43:01.293-07:00The best time of Year for an East African Safari, Tanzania.Just returned from another fabulous expedition to Kilimanjaro and Serengeti. I've compiled the below chart to help you decide when and where to go when you decide go on Safari. This list includes Lake Manyara, Ngorongoro, Tarangire, and Mahale as well as two categories for Serengeti.<br />
Please click on the image to view it full size.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBGxl_YIqohVMkesU_-7IuJ20RsxHHZ4nJt44tEcq1pyi8cConnq_Ug0-jiPpePusRgC4xVnlEBdp0EzH99W3dwMC0DY81YO8tMPl_j3WsS_m-TMGFsPr-ya8Yi4M5QQgySkDmOGnYfQo/s1600/Safari+schedule.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBGxl_YIqohVMkesU_-7IuJ20RsxHHZ4nJt44tEcq1pyi8cConnq_Ug0-jiPpePusRgC4xVnlEBdp0EzH99W3dwMC0DY81YO8tMPl_j3WsS_m-TMGFsPr-ya8Yi4M5QQgySkDmOGnYfQo/s320/Safari+schedule.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Adam Angel Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17224667119093116384noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1697655049498725700.post-22640211660948822112010-05-31T09:48:00.000-07:002010-05-31T11:54:25.817-07:00Edith Creek Waterfall Memorial Day Picture, Mount Rainier National ParkA few hour break in a two week stretch of major storms. Edith Creek Waterfall over Memorial Day Weekend. Out of the house at 2:30 and back in bed by 7:00. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFCFfDWgAQ1A8NiHFtkErmrr2OOAPbMcHXMMjTw0GwaAhoSPhcA_96gXqaQZ188rrp4A67sclJTd5TpmcsA4xB3nwwnay6qfuli_6HaVVrUN-Ew2FVb8hGEU7ahr5ZO4AFUxcbJ7bx67w/s1600/AdamAngelEdithCreek_Rainier_0102.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFCFfDWgAQ1A8NiHFtkErmrr2OOAPbMcHXMMjTw0GwaAhoSPhcA_96gXqaQZ188rrp4A67sclJTd5TpmcsA4xB3nwwnay6qfuli_6HaVVrUN-Ew2FVb8hGEU7ahr5ZO4AFUxcbJ7bx67w/s640/AdamAngelEdithCreek_Rainier_0102.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>Adam Angel Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17224667119093116384noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1697655049498725700.post-74367103075494557152010-05-29T15:50:00.000-07:002010-05-29T15:50:17.737-07:002011 International Photography WorkshopsIn 2011 we will return to Kilimanjaro and Serengeti in February. I will also be leading "The worlds highest trek" to Advanced Base Camp on Mt. Everest, Tibet in April. For more information visit our main website at <a href="http://mtrainierphoto.com/">MtRainierPhoto.com</a>:<br />
<a href="http://www.mtrainierphoto.com/Workshops/International/index.html">Kilimanjaro Climb and Safari Photography Workshop</a><br />
<a href="http://www.mtrainierphoto.com/Workshops/International/tibeteverestandc.html">Mt Everest ABC Trek, Tibet</a><br />
<br />
Hope to travel with you in 2011 !!<br />
<br />
AdamAdam Angel Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17224667119093116384noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1697655049498725700.post-9761716260291388722010-05-28T05:30:00.000-07:002010-05-28T05:30:01.328-07:00Mt Rainier National Park Openings.Stevens Canyon Road is scheduled to open today at 8:00 a.m.<br />
<br />
Also scheduled to open today:<br />
Cougar Rock Campground @ noon.<br />
Cougar Rock Picnic Area @ noon.<br />
Ohanapecosh Campground @ noon.<br />
Ohanapecosh Visitor Center @ 10:00 AM (Weekends only until June 12th)<br />
Longmire Wilderness Information Center @ 7:30 AM Daily<br />
White River Wilderness Information Center @ 7:00 AM (Friday & Saturday), 7:30 AM (Sunday-Thursday)<br />
<br />
Enjoy!<br />
AdamAdam Angel Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17224667119093116384noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1697655049498725700.post-83830394214852016792010-05-21T15:16:00.000-07:002010-05-21T15:16:16.127-07:00HISTORIC PARADISE INN OPENS TODAYMount Rainier National Park News Release<br />
May 21, 2010<br />
<br />
HISTORIC PARADISE INN OPENS TODAY<br />
<br />
At noon today, Mount Rainier’s historic Paradise Inn will open its doors<br />
for the 2010 summer season. The Inn, constructed in 1917, is a National<br />
Historic Landmark. The building showcases a beautiful lobby and dining<br />
room, 118 guest rooms, a gift shop and café and three huge stone fireplaces<br />
to welcome guests.<br />
<br />
In addition to the Paradise Inn, the National Park Inn at Longmire is also<br />
open for visitors. The National Park Inn offers 25 guests rooms, a full<br />
service restaurant, general store and gift shop.<br />
<br />
Both inns are operated by Guest Services, Incorporated. Paradise Inn will<br />
be open through early October. The National Park Inn is open year round.<br />
<br />
Further information is available at www.guestservices.com. For<br />
reservations call 360-569-2275.Adam Angel Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17224667119093116384noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1697655049498725700.post-65683259534915806852010-04-14T12:41:00.001-07:002010-04-15T14:16:37.582-07:00Entrance Fees Waived at Mount Rainier for National Park Week.The Secretary of the Interior has announced that there will be free admission to all national parks during National Park Week, April 19 to 25.Adam Angel Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17224667119093116384noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1697655049498725700.post-46329187110514769102010-04-02T10:50:00.000-07:002010-04-02T10:50:37.277-07:00Limited Time Companion Special!<div style="color: white;">If you don't get the Mt Rainier Institute of Photography newsletter you may have missed this incredible special, so here it is.</div><div style="color: white;"> <b> </b></div><div style="color: white;"><b>Companion Special!</b></div><div style="color: white;">We know that we have one of the best products in Mt. Rainier National Park and want as many people to enjoy the experience as possible. Sign up for a <a href="http://www.mtrainierphoto.com/Workshops/Rainier/rainierworkshops.html">regularly scheduled Mt. Rainier Workshop</a> and receive half price tuition for a companion. If you have a spouse that would like to accompany the group or just need a way to bring down the cost for two people, then take advantage of our Companion Special. Participants must send in their registration forms together, mention the special, and register by April 16th. Not valid with any other offer. Visit <a href="http://www.mtrainierphoto.com/">www.MtRainierPhoto.com</a> to learn more about our workshops.</div><div style="color: white;"><br />
</div><div style="color: white;">Adam</div>Adam Angel Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17224667119093116384noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1697655049498725700.post-10629758550778278222010-02-23T14:48:00.000-08:002010-02-23T14:48:23.261-08:00Sense of PlaceI'll never forget one of my first serious forays into the mountains, a question that was asked, and whose answer has eluded me ever since. Perhaps the questions that cannot be answered are the best, as this question has stood the test of time, and been a common thread through my life. Sometimes answering questions with words can feel limiting, and at best I feel I have only alluded to the answer. The question came after a big storm when we emerged from our tents to spectacular lighting, spindrift and winds, creating a light dance in the peaks around us; "How do you explain this to the folks back home?" was put forth. Words fall short, maybe only providing a signpost pointing to what we experienced.<br />
<br />
It is for this reason that I gravitated towards photography as a way to show the folks back home what we had seen. Photography is nothing less than "Drawing with light." Light is electromagnetic radiation of a wavelength that is visible to the human eye. In physics, the term <i>light</i> often refers to electromagnetic radiation of any wavelength, whether visible or not. Energy can become mass, and vice versa (remember <i>E = mc<sup>2</sup></i>). In other words we can become light and light can become us. Is "Drawing with light" the way to show the folks back home what we see on our journeys? Can we relate to light, better than we can relate to thoughts? It's as close as I can get! Another signpost towards the experience.<br />
<br />
Or, maybe those who have never been will never know, and that is it.<br />
Rene' Daumal, a 20th century French para-surrealist, said it well in The Art of Climbing Mountains, from <a href="http://astore.amazon.com/adamangelbooks-20">Mount Analogue</a><br />
<blockquote>'...What is above knows what is below, but what is below does not know what is above. One climbs, one sees. One descends, one sees no longer, but one has seen. There is an art of conducting oneself in the lower regions by the memory of what one saw higher up. When one can no longer see, one can at least still know...' - Rene' Daumal</blockquote><br />
Adam <br />
<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-1"></sup><br />
<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-1"><span></span><span></span></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-2"><span></span><span></span></sup>Adam Angel Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17224667119093116384noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1697655049498725700.post-33331994187892853702010-02-11T08:00:00.000-08:002010-02-11T08:00:13.713-08:00From the vault: 2004 Mount Rainier Circumnavigation Trip ReportJust found this old trip report from 2004. It's been long enough now that I brought it out of the vault... <br />
<br />
<br />
"A circumnavigation of Mt. Rainier?... I would love to be part of that!" I said to Eric Simonson, when he mentioned that Mt. Rainier Alpine Guides would be offering the trip again in June of 2004. I knew that this trip was a very rare experience and that it had only been successfully guided a few times. It was a perfect opportunity to see and set foot on parts of the mountain that few had walked on before. In the many times that I have been to the summit, I know how easy it is to lock into our objective, Columbia Crest. While this is certainly a worthwhile objective it is only a taste of this wonderful Park. This journey would give us a whole new intimacy with the mountain. I remember the first time I circled the mountain on the Wonderland Trail. I had over 40 summits at the time, and was inspired each day, by our new view of the mountain. It was as if I were discovering a new alpine playground each day. The intimacy of completing a circle of the mountain between 7,000 and 11,000 feet would bring that even closer and immerse us in some of the most exciting and beautiful route finding of my life.<br />
<br />
<br />
The very first circumnavigation of Rainier was organized and achieved by Hal Foss on the Fourth of July weekend, 1967. His party included Lynn Buchanan and Jim Carlson. The next year he repeated the journey with Joseph "Bill" Orr (Chief Ranger at the time), and seasonal rangers Lee Henkle, Jim Erskine, and Dee Molenaar. Their route began at the White River Campground and exited via the Frying Pan Creek Trail. Our 2004 route would be exactly the same except for we would circle clockwise, not counterclockwise. Additional circumnavigations were made in the following years and the first successful guiding of the route was done on a Rainier Mountaineering Inc. (RMI) Expedition Seminar in 1975 led by Gary Issacs and Dan Boyd. It was 15 years later before another guided attempt was made, and in May of 1990 George Dunn of RMI made their bid on skis. The group reportedly found good conditions for skiing, but was forced to abandon just short of completion due to white out conditions. Mt. Rainier Alpine Guides (MRAG) made guided attempts in July of 1997 (clockwise) and 1999 (counter clockwise) and accomplished the entire circuit over these two attempts, though neither trip went all the way around due to difficulties with crevasses that slowed the groups. For 2004 the plan was to go in June, hopefully taking advantage of the better glacier travel conditions of the "early season". Going earlier was not without other concerns, however, in particular the likelihood of more unconsolidated snow and possible winter snowpack, especially on colder slopes. For this reason we would carry avalanche transceivers and plan our route with avalanche hazards in mind.<br />
<br />
The 2004 MRAG circumnavigation began on June 11, considerably earlier than the previous MRAG attempts. From the beginning MRAG owners Eric Simonson and Paul Baugher recognized that such a serious trip needed a very strong team to safely do so much glacier travel. Any group would need to be 100% self-sufficient, and would need multiple leaders to take over when the route finding became too weird and stressful. For 2004, MRAG had put together a team of eleven climbers, two of whom who would need to leave partway around. This group would allow several strong rope teams and would hopefully give enough "horsepower" to push through bad weather and route conditions…and yes, we had both weather and tricky route conditions!<br />
<br />
One of the notable things about the circumnavigation is that in theory you shouldn't encounter the harsh high altitude weather that could be thrown at you on a Rainier summit climb. On the other hand, you could be stuck in the cold and wet marine layer that you can usually climb above on trips to the summit. On the 2004 trip, we had both high altitude cold and wind, as well as marine moisture in the form of snow and rain. On the first day of the program, Friday, June 11, 2004, the team met at 8:00 AM at Crystal Mountain Ski Resort. It was snowing lightly at 4500' and we were happy to find a warm dry place to get together and sort gear in the lodge. Co-leading the trip with me was MRAG guide Jason Tanguay from Tacoma, just back from a successful climb of Mt. Everest. Also guiding with us was Anne Keller, from Mazama, WA, a Rainier guiding veteran and very accomplished mountain guide, heli-ski guide and professional ski patroller. Aspirant MRAG guides Steve Shepro and Peter Brosseau completed the guide team. MRAG guide Mason Stafford also joined us for the first three days of the trip, at which time he needed to go down (via the Muir snowfield) to go guide on Mt. Adams.<br />
<br />
Our clients included Chelsea (from Poulsbo, WA), Ricardo (from Los Angeles, AC), Brad (from Colorado), Richard (from Seattle), and Linda (from Tacoma). Together they added a lot of "horsepower" to the team, which was so important for safe glacier travel. After introductions, we spent a couple of hours sorting through gear and really trying to lighten our loads, as the planned time of 7 days on the mountain can equal some very heavy packs. As items are taken out of packs and put back into duffels for storage our smiles grew bigger. When we are all done with the preparations, we jumped in the Ashford Mountain Center shuttle van and Larry, the AMC driver, took us to the trailhead, just inside the White River entrance of Mt. Rainier National Park.<br />
<br />
We began the 2004 MRAG Rainier Circumnavigation on the Fryingpan Creek Trail. The light wet snow had turned to light rain and had stopped by the time we shouldered our packs. Our hike through forest of Fryingpan Creek was utterly pleasant and it felt good to begin our long anticipated journey. Something about actually beginning a trip does wonders for the anxieties of preparing for them. Soon we had arrived at Fryingpan Creek, where the bridge washed out from the floods of autumn 2003. Before my pack had hit the sandy gravel of the streambed, Mason and Anne were bounding up the creek looking for a place to cross. After several well balanced hops from rock to rock and one or two slightly wet feet we were on the other side. From here we ascended up snow slopes and into the "Summer Land" region of the Park. It was mid afternoon and we would need to ascend some fairly steep slopes to gain our camp at the edge of the Fryingpan Glacier. There we dropped our packs and had a snow school to practice walking on steep slopes and self-arrest with the ice axe. The school was a great refresher and a nice break from being underneath those heavy packs. From the school area we ascended steep slopes to our first camp at 7000' on Meany Crest. The cooling temperatures of the evening along with our gain in elevation gave us our first passing glimpses of the upper mountain. It was the perfect finishing touch to the day.<br />
<br />
Saturday, Day 2. Our days begin early and go late, using the extended daylight hours of June to give us an edge on our objective. We woke at 5:30 to good clear weather. The clouds were low, providing us with good visibility for route finding that day. Our route would take us up and over the Fryingpan Glacier, the Whitman Crest, the Whitman Glacier and down onto the Ingraham Glacier. Crossing the relatively benign terrain around the east side of Little Tahoma, we arrived at the steep cleaver that separates the Whitman Glacier from the Ingraham Glacier. Looking over the glacier below us we could see a clear route across to Lower Cathedral Gap. Within 2 minutes we were engulfed by the warming rising clouds that lay so innocently below us earlier in the morning, making us glad that we had received a short view of the route below…at least we knew that the route would "go". We took a good long break here hoping the weather might improve. With no improvement we began the steep and rocky descent onto the glacier, belaying some sections and taking extra care not to trundle rocks upon ourselves. The trip across our first major glacier was an uneventful cruise, and we arrived at the Lower Gap in good time. Crossing onto the Cowlitz Glacier and into a new wind aspect we were treated to a very brief clearing of the clouds. The clearing allowed us to briefly spot our destination, Camp 2 on the Cowlitz Flats at 9050'. Our view was short though, and again we were engulfed in clouds. Picking our way up the glacier to camp we knew that we had put in a solid long day and were right on track. As we pulled into camp the winds began to pick up. With the wind increasing we were quick to pitch our tents and get our kitchen dug. The day began to feel complete as we donned dry socks and sipped our hot drinks in the still increasing winds. Dinner was quick and we were into our bags as the snow began to fall.<br />
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There are nights on the Mountain for the best sleep of your life and there are nights for the worst. I won't call this the worst, but I didn't sleep much. The winds continued through the night steady 35 mph gusting to 65. It snowed harder and harder with each passing hour. The days in front of us became blurry and I began making up alternative plans. Scenarios of " this if that, and that if this" went through our heads. Our route the next day would take us around, on and below the now freshly snow loaded slopes of Anvil Rock. As the sky began to lighten and our tent began to warm in the morning the winds continued to blow and it became hard to tell whether or not it was still snowing or if the wind was just blowing what had already fallen in the night. At the time we didn't know it but this was probably the same storm that caused the deaths of two climbers in an avalanche high on Liberty Ridge.<br />
<br />
Sunday, Day 3. Upon getting out of the tent we found snow drifted up to 2 feet deep around our tent and the snow loaded slopes below Anvil Rock looked plump and pregnant, ready to go at any moment. We could either sit the day out or change our route. After a slow crawl out of our sacs, a slow breakfast, and a slow pack the team decided unanimously to take the safer route, climbing (and trail breaking) instead up the long slopes of the Cowlitz Glacier to Camp Muir at 10,080'. From there we would be able to cross onto the Muir Snowfield without having to traverse steep avalanche prone slopes below Anvil Rock. It was about this time that the procrastination paid off, and by the time we were ready to start climbing, the skies began to clear. We ascended the Cowlitz and arrived at Camp Muir to find it essentially deserted. The camp holds up to 150 climbers per night during the busy weekends of summer, but the weather had cleared out all but about 7 climbers, who we found huddled in the Public Shelter. Only two tents were left standing outside. There were stories of tents getting "folded" that night, and climbers escaping down the Snowfield at daybreak. While it was very windy and cold, the visibility remained good down to about 9,000'. Our next objective would be an attempt to cross the Nisqually Glacier at about 9,400'. Before we continued on, though, we had to say goodbye to Mason, who would be heading down the snowfield to Paradise with Ricardo. Our number would be nine now: we said goodbye and headed for the Nisqually Glacier as they headed down the Snowfield to Paradise.<br />
<br />
Rounding the bottom of Cowlitz Cleaver, Anne was the first to poke her nose into the broken and menacing Nisqually. Trying to stay far enough out of the avalanche danger zone below the Nisqually Ice Cliff and Ice Fall, but staying high enough to hit the only crossing point (~9500) onto the Wilson Glacier, she kept on probing with her ski pole and axe until she became dead-ended and couldn't get any further. We were about a third of the way across before she had to backtrack. Jason, on the other end of her rope turned it around and dropped further down the glacier. A few minutes later, Jason popped a leg into a crack and couldn't find a way around.<br />
<br />
Next, I dropped my rope team down even further, losing more precious elevation that we would have to re-gain. From here, on slightly steeper slopes, I was able to contour in-between two crevasse systems and get up onto a convexity in the central glacier. Here the cracks went from following the contours to going against them. I went higher, wallowing in deep snow pockets sometimes up to my waist, but didn't see anything very promising other than a marginal looking snow bridge. Then I went lower and started poking around, only to break through a bridge up to my waist, my feet dangling in the air. Peter, who was right behind me (out-sizing and outweighing me), was a great confidence building "anchor", as I rolled myself out of my predicament to distribute my weight. There was no way that the route would "go" any lower so I kicked back up to the first bridge that I had looked at earlier.<br />
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On my belly now, squirming like a worm, I was able to get close enough to the edge of the crevasse to see the integrity of the bridge. It looked very solid underneath, but it was not very wide, and the top was loaded with lots of freshly melting snow that would prove treacherous. On my knees, I moved up to the bridge cutting with my ski pole and adze. After a few minutes of chopping, stomping, removing, compacting, and breathing really hard, the bridge seemed in condition to be crossed…and so it was. From there we ascended ramps until I was again dead-ended about &frac3/4; of the way across. From the top of the ramp I could see a route below that would take us right to our crossing point to the Wilson Glacier. I yelled back to Anne to traverse below me. Fifteen minutes later we were on the cleaver, with the Nisqually Glacier behind us.<br />
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From here Jason led us out onto the Wilson Glacier. Traversing on steep snow slopes above rock cliffs, he placed several pickets to prevent serious problems in the event of a fall. As we cleared the slopes above the cliffs and descended on to the seemingly smooth Wilson, the clouds began to catch up with us again. Reaching Wapowety Cleaver, once again engulfed in full whiteout, we put in our third camp just below the Castle at 8950'. It was late in the day now and the temperature was dropping with the sun. We were glad that we had made such progress today considering the weather, terrain, and late start. Everyone slept well that night!<br />
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Day 4 needed to be a big day if we were to have a chance of making it all the way around the Mountain. Waking up at 5:30, camp was broken quickly and breakfast choked down in a businesslike and efficient manner. Today's route would take us over the Van Trump, Kautz, Success, Pyramid, South Tahoma, and Tahoma Glaciers. Some of the terrain would be as difficult as the Nisqually Traverse on Day 3. Visibility was poor, but GPS waypoints pulled from the map would help to guide us from point to point. We knew that we had to cross the Success and Tahoma Cleavers at predetermined points, and Anne had downloaded these waypoints for the day into her GPS. Despite bad weather, the GPS allowed us to move quickly considering the conditions, and we found the waypoints to be within 200' of the actual target…very impressive precision for the scale of terrain that we were dealing with.<br />
<br />
On the smaller Van Trump, Kautz, Success, and Pyramid glaciers the micro-route-finding was relatively easy, but when we reached Success Cleaver at 8200' and the weather had still not improved, we knew we would have some real challenges on the South Tahoma and Tahoma ahead of us. We took a good long break to see if we could at least get a glimpse of the South Tahoma Glacier to get a general feel of the layout, other than what we could determine from the aerial photos and topographic map. Whiteout conditions persisted but we had no choice but to press on. Anne began to pick her way across and to retrace the path of the last MRAG circumnavigation to make it here in 1997. Again, conditions became impassable and we switched leads. From the area where Anne was stopped by crevasses, I was able to follow one easy ramp up to 9000' on the Tahoma Cleaver. Here the wind picked up, the clouds dropped, and visibility for the largest and most difficult objective of the day turned perfect. Both Jason and I had been on the Tahoma Glacier before and knew our way around a bit, especially with the improved visibility.<br />
<br />
Two days before the expedition, Paul Baugher (Owner MRAG and a pilot) had flown guide Mason Stafford and me around the mountain to take aerial photos of our proposed route. One of the difficulties that we anticipated and that the other parties had encountered was the Puyallup Cleaver. All of us on the flight agreed that from the air the Cleaver looked very do-able in at least 2 spots. The spot that looked the easiest, most straightforward, and most direct was at about 9,000'. This couloir had never be used for the circumnavigation, but we thought that with our attempt being early and the Spring having had many late snowfalls, that it would go. This was our target.<br />
<br />
To hit our target on the far side of the Tahoma Glacier, we needed to hold the elevation that we had on the Tahoma Cleaver. Both Jason and I agreed that the easiest way to get the furthest into the glacier was to take the easy northeast trending ramp that rise into the middle of the immense Tahoma, one of the largest glaciers on the Mountain. We hoped that from there we could then pick our way back down to 9,000'. Coming off of the Tahoma Cleaver we lost several hundred feet zigzagging around crevasses before heading back up ramps to the central and severely broken core of the Tahoma Glacier. When we reached the convex and bulging heart of the glacier at about 9,000' things started to get ugly. The sun was out full strength now, and everything was very soft. Now, what looked smooth and easy was not smooth at all. It was hollow and punchy. "Hm...Let's try this....No....How about this?... No... This?... No... OK... let's see... SHIT... Where did that come from?" With no warning or visual cue I had popped through, my legs dangling in the void beneath me. Usually I have a pretty good idea when I am pushing it, but this was totally unexpected. After a long day, I began to wonder if "I am too tired to be doing this right now? Oh well, it doesn't matter because here I am, in it." OK, so I roll my self out and crawl back in my tracks. "OK, if this does that, then if I go around here then it should go and so it does, but man is this soft, OK, what surprise next? Uh, Oh this isn't looking good. OK, I can't go any further….Jason, take it from here!" What a relief that was to have another guide of Jason's caliber to take over the route finding. He reversed us from the dead-end, dropped lower in elevation, and finally found a way to our next camp near the Puyallup Cleaver.<br />
<br />
Camp 4 looked good but the glacier was still very soft and we probed deeply into the mush for hidden crevasses before setting up our camp. It was a good time to not glacier travel any more, but there was still work to do. While Peter and Steve stayed back to help the team set up camp, Anne, Jason, and I roped up to go scout out routes and possibly fix lines up and over the Puyallup Cleaver. We walked up to the first ramp that we had scoped from the plane. The ramp looked great from afar, but as we approached, the deep moats became more apparent. Jason began to explore the moats, and when he started talking about using pitons to get out of the moat, Anne and I said "forget it, let's go check out the other options." Two options later, we had found that there was just no way. We would have to drop all the way down to 7400' on the Tahoma Glacier and cross Puyallup Cleaver just above Tokaloo Spire.<br />
<br />
Day 5. Day 5 starts early at 5:00 AM to get down the glacier while it is cold and snow bridges are frozen over. Before leaving camp, Jason gives a talk that goes something like "There are two ways to walk, jerky, heavy and clunky or even and light. Walk even and light." Everyone understood him just fine and boy did we make good time! It was so firm that we barely left footprints. The glacier was still in the shade and we "floated" over stuff that would have sucked us in the afternoon before. We were off the tough stuff before the snow even softened a little. Now, "for the record", the easy way to handle the Tahoma Glacier in the first place would have been to come off of the South Tahoma above Glacier Island and then traverse low over to Tokaloo Spire at 7400'. But, then we would have missed all that incredible and educational terrain of the Tahoma Glacier at mid mountain height!<br />
<br />
From Tokaloo Spire we ascended steep slopes to the ridge of Puyallup Cleaver and traversed onto the Puyallup Glacier at about 8000'. When we dropped off of the ridge Brad's knee started to hurt. At first we thought that it was just a small bodily rebellion against sustained steep slopes, but we soon realized that this was no passing cramp or tweak. It was here to stay and as the situation began to heat up, so did the mountain. We talked over our options. Pretty much every option included lots of walking. There was just no way around it, or was "around it" the only way? This was pretty much the worst place to get gimped up. Even if we bailed out down to St. Andrews Park to the west, it would still be at least two days hiking out from here, even with two good knees. Fortunately, Richard was doctor in Seattle and was able to give Brad's knee a good examination, after which we decided that from here the easiest option would be to stay high on the mountain, take the three day route "around", and complete the tour. We took loads from Brad to lighten his load and help relieve the stress on his knee, and continued up the Puyallup Glacier. The still clear air this day made us dream of the cold cloudy days we had earlier, and Brad's bum knee reminded us of our situation and how far away we were from help. The day continued to get hotter and hotter. The snow continued to get punchier and punchier. It was getting very slow, and the route to our next rest break was all up hill.<br />
<br />
When we got to the next break at 8600' we perched ourselves at the very upper most reaches of the cleaver. From here we enjoyed spectacular views of Sunset Ridge, Sunset Amphitheater and St. Andrews Rock. The still air and warm temps just about put us to sleep. About a half an hour later we "jumped to," and picked our way down through the South Mowich Glacier. This was easy going compared to the previous days and our early morning. The glacier was littered with debris from a bunch of wet snow slides and icefalls. At about 7250' we ascended steep and ultra mushy slopes following both the old RMI and Boulton Gang routes. After post-holing up the slope (sometimes up to our hips) we topped out at about 7600'. Soaked from the mush we regrouped and took advantage of our new perspective to plan our route. We could see a very large open snow slope that had very recently avalanched, leaving a crown. Crossing this slope was necessary, and the area that had already avalanched would be the safest way to go…but we first had to get down to the crown face that marked the boundary between the snow that had slid and the snow that had not. Stepping only a few feet off of the rock ridge onto the snow we heard a soft but definite thud and swoosh as we kicked off a wet slab avalanche down onto the South Mowich below. While it was scary to think that there was still snow waiting to slide, it was actually the best possible occurrence, as it cleared the way down to the crown face that led across the slope. We picked our way down carefully to the slopes that had previously avalanched, and from there were able to traverse onto the Edmonds Glacier and up to a frozen lake at 8280', which became the site of Camp 5.<br />
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Day 6 started like the other days... very early. Up at 5:30, we wanted to get a good start so that we could ascend Ptarmigan ridge with firm conditions. Dropping onto the North Mowich Glacier we passed just above Needle Rock, a glacier nunatak at 7400'. From here we continued across the glacier to the base of Ptarmigan ridge at 7200'. The snow was perfect for cramponing and we made very good time up steep and very sustained slopes. The sun finally reached us when we were at about 7800', but the excellent conditions persisted until we hit the ridge at 8680'. From here we continued over to the Russell Glacier where it was very easy going, except for the hot still air. The only difficulty this day was descending onto the Carbon Glacier. Conditions were very soft, and the steep descent was unsure. We also encountered small route finding problems due to rock outcroppings. Once on the Glacier it was smooth sailing all of the way to Curtis Ridge. We camped on the east side of the ridge at 6800' so that we could get a good start on the Winthrop Glacier early the next morning.<br />
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Day 7 was uneventful and sweet. Crossing the Winthrop Glacier we climbed up and over St. Elmo's pass at 7400'. From the pass Anne recommended a glissade and we all took to it. It reminded me how important it is for every good trip to conclude with an excellent glissade. When we arrived at the bottom of Glacier Basin we all had big grins on our face as we shed our helmets, harnesses and the rest of our climbing gear. From here we had a satisfying stroll down through the forest to the White River Campground, and civilization. Larry was right on schedule with the van shuttle and soon we were loading up and off our feet for the first time in a week.<br />
<br />
It was a great trip that we will never forget.<br />
<br />
—Adam Angel, IMG Guide.............summer of 2004<br />
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<div style="color: #cc0000;">NOTE: Since this trip the Circumnavigation has been attempted unsuccessfully, and with the new Management Plan at Mount Rainier National Park, this trip is no longer allowed due to designated Commercial Free Zones within the park.</div>Adam Angel Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17224667119093116384noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1697655049498725700.post-76444782788261703132010-01-06T12:05:00.000-08:002010-01-06T12:05:42.169-08:00Creativity and AdventureHow often do we put Creativity and Adventure in the same sentence? Not often, but for me they are one in the same. Surviving adventures requires imagining creative solutions on the fly. Producing great images while dealing with variable lighting and subjects, weather and creative obstacles requires the ability to imagine creative solutions on the fly. As a photographer the tools are technical. Mechanical and electrical devices, and the physics of light. Dealing with dynamic snow, ice and weather the tools are also technical. Mechanical ascenders, electrical GPS and the laws of gravity and atmosphere. In the end both require the creativity to bring it all together and proceed to the end.<br />
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FEAR, often enters into both endeavors. Obviously one of the above scenarios is a little more deadly than the other, but in both, fear can stop you from achieving your goal. On a mountain fear is your friend. It is the part of you that realizes the objective hazards that always linger, and doesn’t foolishly deny their existence. This enables you to deal with hazards prudently and carry on as safely as possible. Amazingly for some these types of fears are easier to deal with than the deep dark inner fears that limit our creativity. Fears that many of us don’t even know we have, much less understand. The walls that we build to protect ourselves from our fears can be just as treacherous to your life as a weak snow bridge over a giant crevasse. For is leaving in fear living at all?<br />
When time weakens the grips of fear, what is left behind? Your truth, the truth.<br />
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As my endeavors begin to come to fruition truth is the only constant. Strangely, my experiences, be they on a mountain, behind a camera, renovating a historic property, or trying to be a good husband and father, all hold the same lesson for my life. It is the realization of this unifying truth that makes my evolution as an adventurer and creator possible.<br />
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AdamAdam Angel Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17224667119093116384noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1697655049498725700.post-78579296794451866932009-12-10T09:00:00.000-08:002009-12-10T09:00:41.550-08:00Print Permanence.100 years from now, will our successors know what a jpeg is? Will they have optical disk readers? Flash cards? What's beyond digital?<br />
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I am constantly amazed at the number of people who are happy to let all of their images sit on their computer, in "cloud" storage, or on decaying CDs and DVDs. While electronic delivery is awesome, incredibly useful and makes a constantly evolving and transformative veiwing experience possible, it is simply too complicated. The infrastructure that is needed to experience this media is extensive, and will someday prove to be impermanent.<br />
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A well crafted print on the other hand made with archival materials and stored in a conscientious way can last for centuries and is dependent only on our successors having eyes and the sun (and a planet suitable for life). This is why it is worth mastering the craft of print making, and vigilantly producing prints regularly to record the world as we see it. Taking the final step and seeing your image made "real" in print form is not as far as it seems.<br />
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To learn more about Fine Art Printing Workshops visit the Mount Rainier Institute of Photography at <a href="http://www.mtrainierphoto.com/">www.MtRainierPhoto.com</a>Adam Angel Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17224667119093116384noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1697655049498725700.post-12097713429715184622009-11-05T15:34:00.000-08:002009-11-05T15:38:34.813-08:00New Digital Photography Workshops and Kilimanjaro, Serengeti, Ngorongoro 2010<span style="font-size: large;"><b>2010 schedule update.</b></span><br />
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I will be leading the International Mountain Guides Kilimanjaro Climb and Safari in June, 2010. There are still spaces available at the time of this writing. Contact me or check out <a href="http://www.mountainguides.com/kilimanjaro.shtml">http://www.mountainguides.com/kilimanjaro.shtml</a> for more information.<br />
<h3 class="post-title entry-title"></h3><div class="post-body entry-content">We are in the midst of overhauling MtRainierPhoto.com, but couldn't wait to tell you about some of our new workshops in 2010. These workshops are in addition to the Rainier Workshops already posted at MtRainierPhoto.com.<br />
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They include:<br />
The ever popular comprehensive 3 weekend series <b>"Digital Process and Print"</b><br />
- March 13th - 14th, March 27th - 28th, April 10th - 11th.<br />
<a href="http://www.mtrainierphoto.com/Process_and_Print_Class.pdf">Download the PDF brochure</a>.<br />
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<b>Digital Camera Basics</b> (*NEW) - January 9th, 2010.<br />
<a href="http://www.mtrainierphoto.com/Digital_Camera_Basics.pdf">Download the PDF brochure</a>. <br />
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<b>Studio Lighting & The Portrait</b> (*NEW) - January 10th, 2010.<br />
<a href="http://www.mtrainierphoto.com/Studio_Lighting&Portrait.pdf">Download the PDF brochure</a>. <br />
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<b>Black & White Intensive</b> (*NEW) - January 16th-17th, 2010.<br />
<a href="http://www.mtrainierphoto.com/B&W.pdf">Download the PDF brochure</a>.<br />
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<span style="color: #990000;">If you sign up for "Digital Camera Basics" and "Studio Lighting and The Portrait" together receive $25 off.</span><br />
</div><div class="post-body entry-content" style="color: black;"><br />
</div>Progress on the Gallery has slowed down as we have become busy with other projects, but is still creeping along. If you are passing through Morton, shoot me an email and I will give you a quick tour of the future gallery.<br />
<div class="post-body entry-content" style="color: black;"><br />
</div><div class="post-body entry-content"><span style="color: #990000;"><span style="color: black;">Adam</span><br />
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</div>Adam Angel Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17224667119093116384noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1697655049498725700.post-35763511187694239942009-10-20T11:54:00.001-07:002009-10-20T11:54:35.212-07:00Phil Ershler's 25th Everest AnniversaryEric Simonson and George Dunn have written a wonderful tribute to Phil Ershler's 25th Everest Anniversary. October 20, 2009 marks 25 years since Phil made the first American ascent of the North Face of Everest. Read more about it <a href="http://mountainguides.com/ershler-25th-everest-anniversary.shtml">here</a>.<br />
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Phil was and is a great mentor to me. He gave me my first gig as an international mountain guide and continues to be an inspiration and an advisor.<br />
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Thanks Phil!<br />
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AdamAdam Angel Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17224667119093116384noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1697655049498725700.post-57439666789475381662009-08-24T08:45:00.000-07:002009-08-24T08:45:13.763-07:0050th anniversary poses new challenges for Serengeti<i>By Wolfgang H. Thome, eTN Africa | Aug 22, 2009</i><br />
<i> </i> <br />
The Serengeti National Park just celebrated its half century anniversary amid reports on the growing challenges for the national park by human encroachment, demands for concessions by lodge developers and increased tourist traffic into the park. <br />
Unlike in the Masai Mara Game Reserve, the Kenyan extension to the Serengeti ecosystem, there are substantially less lodges and tented camps located in the Serengeti, a standard wildlife conservationists intend to maintain for the long term benefit of the park<br />
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Click <a href="http://www.eturbonews.com/11195/50th-anniversary-poses-new-challenges-serengeti">here</a> for the rest of the story.Adam Angel Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17224667119093116384noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1697655049498725700.post-55433417674051247852009-08-20T17:06:00.000-07:002009-08-20T17:09:02.939-07:00Mount Rainier Flight PhotosWe had a great evening flying around Mount Rainier.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHL83J18TWjgMh6rF2i0PTMqpaPADPDqtwX6ou3SbC4iVUDf4SN3ut16OCXMDxj0A7RfZLeFGfhEuDl916n5HfmtVZS73zBWhvFYaakjfUfncLFmSa03B6-x9fbmGmHFlb_9j1VoScwZ0/s1600-h/rainier_flight_5.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHL83J18TWjgMh6rF2i0PTMqpaPADPDqtwX6ou3SbC4iVUDf4SN3ut16OCXMDxj0A7RfZLeFGfhEuDl916n5HfmtVZS73zBWhvFYaakjfUfncLFmSa03B6-x9fbmGmHFlb_9j1VoScwZ0/s400/rainier_flight_5.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5372198940420861746" border="0" /></a>Adam. Checking out the scene.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIbnMS7Na0aFMbYAlKth364U_2kB1yruf_l_CtzmL55FLTk6ENVEjx_s03OMEKD1QM4HlRyYuTupMuRo8uKwrYV_x-m2EgYcsEuZS41adAlYbAd8iZmNjRvYDqjVobUkVHoo_IpuhYjM0/s1600-h/rainier_flight_2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIbnMS7Na0aFMbYAlKth364U_2kB1yruf_l_CtzmL55FLTk6ENVEjx_s03OMEKD1QM4HlRyYuTupMuRo8uKwrYV_x-m2EgYcsEuZS41adAlYbAd8iZmNjRvYDqjVobUkVHoo_IpuhYjM0/s400/rainier_flight_2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5372198910953252210" border="0" /></a>The approach.... looking good.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipBJl_xbdIDFL7B76TuzEDQ2BTwujvZWYdhQZhyahXecm0raOyOT0eGvNv_SBWj85poVLjZ-ba5eEZb0AtnMP8WBbrLeQOxrI2txLkWHRsb83riaEUhYe27XjMMLjIkZ2_xXnZnRUzqyo/s1600-h/rainier_flight_3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipBJl_xbdIDFL7B76TuzEDQ2BTwujvZWYdhQZhyahXecm0raOyOT0eGvNv_SBWj85poVLjZ-ba5eEZb0AtnMP8WBbrLeQOxrI2txLkWHRsb83riaEUhYe27XjMMLjIkZ2_xXnZnRUzqyo/s400/rainier_flight_3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5372198920098471666" border="0" /></a>Tahoma Glacier, Sunset Amphitheater and the Puyallup Glacier at sunset.<br /><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghJuWj3pVJJ7s9J8KiDwdbA5rm_fxb5rCR_XuNKynaLeNdzyXk2p9NYQnuB9vyHK6r6vvcZWF9TmKS7v4_6vkFU1oM1EPsA2WycrDh7k5bfhouM4gAhCyuQp2XFrvpDepk56S4WhO9b24/s1600-h/rainier_flight_1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghJuWj3pVJJ7s9J8KiDwdbA5rm_fxb5rCR_XuNKynaLeNdzyXk2p9NYQnuB9vyHK6r6vvcZWF9TmKS7v4_6vkFU1oM1EPsA2WycrDh7k5bfhouM4gAhCyuQp2XFrvpDepk56S4WhO9b24/s400/rainier_flight_1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5372198903694371954" border="0" /></a>Thanks Jenni!<br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRpg-gF0r6_aZiqlIHYak8H4es6m-5OFOhgr08gGSC8rVkm1XgJkbBF-bVfu7NUfYQ28B5raYzS7UT10uYtrlvlLRLvZM59HSTOFl5C0tGxjQ2co8BNnMdF9o8ALaVy1RuDfY8u1ObyQY/s1600-h/rainier_flight_4.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 222px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRpg-gF0r6_aZiqlIHYak8H4es6m-5OFOhgr08gGSC8rVkm1XgJkbBF-bVfu7NUfYQ28B5raYzS7UT10uYtrlvlLRLvZM59HSTOFl5C0tGxjQ2co8BNnMdF9o8ALaVy1RuDfY8u1ObyQY/s400/rainier_flight_4.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5372198933330478290" border="0" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Flying off into the sunset.<br /></div>Adam Angel Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17224667119093116384noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1697655049498725700.post-19095624678450324112009-08-19T09:03:00.001-07:002009-08-19T09:03:43.357-07:00Mount Rainier Flight<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.mountainguides.com/photos/guides/jenni-fogle-sm.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 80px; height: 100px;" src="http://www.mountainguides.com/photos/guides/jenni-fogle-sm.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Tonight IMG Guide Jenni Fogle is flying us around Mount Rainier! We plan to take off around 7:30 and shoot in the late light. The weather forecast looks good and we are really looking forward to it.<br /><br />Jenni flies KC-135’s and Global Hawks for the Air Force Reserve and is a climbing guide in Alaska, Washington, and California.<br /><br />I can't wait!<br />AdamAdam Angel Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17224667119093116384noreply@blogger.com