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Canon Image Challenge | all galleries >> CIC239 >> Eligible > 15 Death Trap....(one of the most Dangerous Moutains in the United States)
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16-Jan-2023 TRAVELLER

15 Death Trap....(one of the most Dangerous Moutains in the United States)

See Below in Comments...2 additional are missing in the past week alone

Another experienced hiker, Sreenivas Mokkapati, 52, of Irvine, also died on the mountain after he became separated from his group in December 2019. Authorities had suspended the search for Mokkapati at one point after a volunteer searcher, Tim Staples, 32, of La Verne, fell and died on the mountain.

Most recently, Crystal Paula Gonzalez-Landas, known by her family as “the dancing hiking queen,” died earlier this month after falling down an icy slope along the mountain, according to People.

Canon EOS 6D Mark II
1/320s f/7.1 at 159.0mm iso100 full exif

other sizes: small medium large original auto
comment
Canon Image Challenge24-Jan-2023 14:26
Dave - with that car, you will always get some reflections. The key will be to minimize them and simplify them. Now, you are dealing with multiple tree branches, and that makes it near impossible to really clean it up. If you were in a huge empty parking lot, for instance, it would be a lot easier.

Jim
Canon Image Challenge24-Jan-2023 03:57
I checked my inventory, and every shot has reflections. I wish I could take the Spider to one of the "big three's" design domes. The lighting in them is incredible.

Dave
Canon Image Challenge23-Jan-2023 22:14
I agree with the others. This is a terrific shot.
Alastair
Canon Image Challenge23-Jan-2023 21:54
Meaning an unobstructed blue or cloudy sky? I’m not sure when the car will leave the garage next. Maybe I have such a photo in inventory.

Dave
Canon Image Challenge23-Jan-2023 16:29
Dave - yes it would. You still need to reshoot it without all the reflections on it.

Jim
Canon Image Challenge23-Jan-2023 15:06
I think this would be a dandy backdrop for my little car.

Dave
Canon Image Challenge20-Jan-2023 22:01
Thanks Paul and Jim, sometimes we don't know what we do has (impactful) value or not. I appreciate the interest that forced me to look into Mt Baldy a lot more. I may go there, But I know nothing....lol

As previously noted, this was taken at the summit of the Cajon Pass, and then I retreated back down to High Way 138 and off to mountain High and Wrightwood. However, I may have been wrong on elevations...Mountain High Resort is 6,600 ft, and had tons of snow...as did Wrightwood at 5,900ft. I probably was at the 7,500ft level...maybe, lol, somewhere up there.

In any case, it was not a particularly good trip, this was all ice, unlike last year at even higher elevations, where snow was still snow and somewhat fun to play in. Still, work wise it was productive, I got to finally check out a gated community property I am sort of managing for an Administrator (unwillingly)...but I will note that High Security gated communities are difficult to break into...and to navigate once inside...not to mention getting out again.

Still, all of this is better than being dead...lol....(somewhat)

Traveller
Canon Image Challenge20-Jan-2023 20:37
I looked up this peak on the net - faccinating reading. I support Paul in that this photo is perhaps the best I saw out there of the peak and range.
You shot this from 6,700 ft, so the snow line is just above you, perhaps at 7000 ft.

You have 3 layers in the shot: a nice dark foreground, a layer of clouds, then the sunlit snow covered mountains.

You could frame this, and easily sell it for a good price, perhaps enabling your retirement.

Jim
Canon Image Challenge20-Jan-2023 11:27
You are thinking I’m jerking your chain about this entry… no not a chance, this is truly fascinating to me anyway. I’d much rather admire a beautiful mountain range any day than wet tennis courts at night especially since your hot momma stood you up ;-).

I stand by my comment and if Jim didn’t interfere I’d give all five of my votes on this one. Rules prevail so 1.5 it is providing you don’t add something even more jaw dropping. You’ve got a few days remaining so go ahead surprise us and and get lost a few more times. Paul
Canon Image Challenge20-Jan-2023 10:07
Really?!? Really Paul? This was a throwaway image taken only because I took the wrong freeway North from San Bernardino Court...it is amazing how often I get lost when for whatever reason my Google Maps aren't working...Damn! I ended up at the top of Cajon Pass as opposed to the road to Mountain High and hopefully the back side of Mt San Antonio (commonly referred to as Mt Baldy).

Since I was 90 degrees off from where I wanted to be, I stopped at the summit of Cajon and shot this...(note quote marks means, not mine)

"Mount San Antonio lies in the front range of the San Gabriel Mountains, one of the Transverse Ranges of Southern California, formed around the San Andreas Fault system. The Transverse Ranges were formed because of a dog-leg bend in the San Andreas, which is a transform fault. The bend makes it difficult for the two plates to move smoothly past one another, and mountains were raised as a result."

It's Altitude is 10,064 feet.

It is also exactly where the British actor Julian Sands went missing on Friday...though on the same trail I was not looking for him...or his body, as the case might be.

"The spokesperson urged others to avoid the Mt. Baldy area, which is currently “much too dangerous, even for the skilled hiker.”..."

Skilled hiker? I'm not a person skilled at walking...and certainly not so in a dress suit in 25 degree winds. Ahhhh

As I wrote about the trip: (no quotes)

What the heck, I'll brave the snow and ice...I'll go as far above the Mountain High Ski Resort as the police will let me.

It was only a few miles on...about the 6,700 ft level where they parked a snow plow across Calif Hy 2, it didn't matter if I had chains or snow tires or even if I lived up here....there was no going forward, but it really was...not snow, just all ice, jagged and sharp where not frozen lake-like, it was truly like being on a foreign planet. It was 25 degrees in the sun at 12 noon~1pm and I acquired a new respect for ice...maybe because it thawed and melted and thawed and melted again...but it was dangerous to walk on, and I could only climb 50 to 100 ft up off the road...it looked like snow, but it was solid ice so far as I could tell.

"Mt. Baldy is considered one of the most dangerous peaks to climb in the United States. In recent years, its icy terrain has led to the deaths of several experienced hikers. Seuk Doo Kim, a 78-year-old South Korean hiker from Culver City, had climbed the mountain more than 700 times but fell to his death in 2017."

Traveller


Canon Image Challenge20-Jan-2023 03:19
You can delete all your other entries T, this is the only one you need. Excellent!
Paul
Canon Image Challenge19-Jan-2023 20:37
Such a beautiful shot deserves a good title.
I HOPE you have one in mind.

Jim
Canon Image Challenge19-Jan-2023 12:49
Super shot. You picked a good day. Now get back to work.

Dave