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nice winter vistas after gruesome hike=well worth it
Posted By: khardur, 03-01-2009, 11:10 AM

Hey all.. Got home last night after about a 4.5 hour hike up Mt. Greylock. It happens to be the highest peak in Massachusetts, and I'm fortunate it's only about 10 minutes away from my house.

I went up the Thunderbolt Trail, an old ski trail apparently used quite frequently back in the 50's. Here's a shot of the whole mountain I took from a couple years back:

There's a big rocky patch you can see on the above photo - the thunderbolt trail goes up to the right of that.

I'm not in bad shape physically, but that trail is a whopper with a backpack with camera, lenses & crap, plus extra shirts, water/juice, snacks, and the tripod. I really have to weigh the whole setup and see if I can pare anything down.. Thank goodness I took the extra shirts too - by the time I got to the top my inner layer was soaked - so I removed it all and replaced with the dry shirts - I was very comfortable.
Anyway, here are the pictures from this trip:
1. Looking out from near the top of the trail:


2. War Memorial tower on the top of the mountain:


3. Sunset - I was starting to get fidgety because I know the side I have to go back down faces east and thus gets dark quickly.


4. One more before I started my ride back down the trail. I brought a small sled with me called a swiss bob. I rode that down the less-steep portions...

I walked/jogged down the steeper parts because it was too dark and I didn't want to break something.

5. One last shot just before I got back to the car at the bottom of the mountain.


As I was taking my stuff off my legs felt like jello. Actually I've groaned quite a bit getting around the house today, that was a strenuous trip. But well worth it, except for a few pictures which were ruined by interference from a cell tower on the top of the mountain. (caused nasty diagonal banding on some of the pics which I didn't notice until I got home - *grumble* - will post one of those shortly in this thread.

Last edited by khardur; 03-01-2009 at 11:59 AM.
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03-01-2009, 11:21 AM   #2
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Here's one of the pics that got messed up. I suppose I could say this is the one time so far I've thought "I wish I had shot this on film".


But I don't even own a film camera anymore, so it's just something I know next time I take this hike, I'll stay away from the tower and check the pics with the zoom feature more often to be sure I'm not getting this banding.
03-01-2009, 11:44 AM   #3
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Nice series Dan. Really like #1 and 5 and the two stars are a interesting effect. JIM
03-01-2009, 11:51 AM   #4
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I feel your pain. Well worth the trip though. Great series of pictures.

03-01-2009, 11:59 AM   #5
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QuoteOriginally posted by Jimbo Quote
Nice series Dan. Really like #1 and 5 and the two stars are a interesting effect. JIM
Thanks Jim. The big glow toward the top left of the pic is the moon, and the one on top of the mountain is the light on top of the tower.
03-01-2009, 11:59 AM   #6
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Beautiful series, and it sounds like a fun hike. I just got a better backpack to carry my son, so I'm hoping to get out on some trails more myself and your post is motivating (though add a 20 pound kid to the wieght - I think I better start small ).

My favorite would be the sunset , but as it stands the war memorial is probably my favorite. Is that lamp on top of the momorial the bright light on the mountain in the last shot?

I've read about Thunderbolt trail before in Powder magazine (I think), wasn't it cut by the CCC back in the last depression? I'm surprised how little snow there is, is that normal or do you have a low snowpack this winter?
03-01-2009, 01:17 PM   #7
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QuoteOriginally posted by heliphoto Quote
Beautiful series, and it sounds like a fun hike. I just got a better backpack to carry my son, so I'm hoping to get out on some trails more myself and your post is motivating (though add a 20 pound kid to the wieght - I think I better start small ).

My favorite would be the sunset , but as it stands the war memorial is probably my favorite. Is that lamp on top of the momorial the bright light on the mountain in the last shot?

I've read about Thunderbolt trail before in Powder magazine (I think), wasn't it cut by the CCC back in the last depression? I'm surprised how little snow there is, is that normal or do you have a low snowpack this winter?
The first shot I took in November of 1997. I just threw that in there to show the whole mountain - I don't think I've taken a wide landscape of it for a while that adequately shows it.

Yes, the memorial tower/lighthouse is the bright light on the mountain in the last shot. I think the 30 sec exposure helped it a bit, but it is visible for quite a ways.

03-01-2009, 01:20 PM   #8
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Wow, #3 really speaks to me!

It almost looks like a Bob Ross painting with a happy little tree in the foreground

Pat
03-01-2009, 01:34 PM   #9
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Wow, Dan. All these images are very well done! The colour in the first half of the series are really stellar. Subtle and gentle. Very poetic.

Great hike you have there!
03-01-2009, 01:59 PM   #10
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Nice series. #3 & #4 are my favorites. Great job on all of them
03-01-2009, 02:36 PM   #11
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All great shots, but no-1 stands out for me. Subtle in its lighting and juxtapositioning of the elements.

JMR
03-01-2009, 03:07 PM   #12
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Very nice shots, beautifull light and atmosphere.
Looks quite much like mountains/forests in northern Sweden were I used to hike.
Old mountains. Thanks for sharing.
03-01-2009, 04:52 PM   #13
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Great series. All look like winners to me.
03-01-2009, 05:25 PM   #14
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QuoteOriginally posted by ve2vfd Quote
Wow, #3 really speaks to me!

It almost looks like a Bob Ross painting with a happy little tree in the foreground

Pat
Thanks Pat,
I remember seeing him on tv... Something's missing, let's put in a little happy tree... What a fun show.

QuoteOriginally posted by roentarre Quote
Wow, Dan. All these images are very well done! The colour in the first half of the series are really stellar. Subtle and gentle. Very poetic.

Great hike you have there!
Thanks a bunch James. I think I'll toss a couple of these on the themes of time as well.

QuoteOriginally posted by cindy s Quote
Nice series. #3 & #4 are my favorites. Great job on all of them
Thanks Cindy.

QuoteOriginally posted by JMR Quote
All great shots, but no-1 stands out for me. Subtle in its lighting and juxtapositioning of the elements.

JMR
Thanks JMR, I think winter is a great time to do B&W work, with snow around it seems to make you concentrate on basics.

QuoteOriginally posted by Douglas_of_Sweden Quote
Very nice shots, beautifull light and atmosphere.
Looks quite much like mountains/forests in northern Sweden were I used to hike.
Old mountains. Thanks for sharing.
Sounds like a nice place, I'd love to see Sweden one day.

QuoteOriginally posted by Scottnorwo Quote
Great series. All look like winners to me.
Thanks!
03-01-2009, 07:31 PM   #15
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Great series. You can almost see my house. just kidding. I have to get out there some time.
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