Hypoxic High: An alpine photo essay

There are parallels... The luck of finding and seizing an optimal weather day, like nabbing the Sankara Stone of Indy lore, is real gift given the fickle Rockies weather at 14,000. I had never climbed with Eric but was confident. Boulder Canyon, our first choice, was on lockdown from the Cold Springs Nederland fire so a low commitment day to see how we worked as a climbing team was not going to happen. At the base I got a text from a friend that said, "Good luck! I have been snowed off that route 3 times!"

When weather, fitness, confidence, high quality rock, good route finding (despite not bringing a topo), uber exposed climbing but relatively solid protection options and partner communication all come together it makes for a rad day. The geologic feature that the Flying Buttress ascends is standout. I have watched it in many different moments while guiding Longs Peak and it was high on the list - a precursor route to climbing the Diamond - a dream of some 20 years...

It was a real gift to get to lead every pitch of this unbelievable route first time out. I am indebted to Eric for allowing this. There is much magic in the mountains... At once humbling and rekindling inspiration.

all images ©Bennett Barthelemy July 2016

The Flying Buttress ascends the shadow and light line close to center

Solo on the "third class" approach pitches

Pitch two ascended the spire and traversed across the 5.9 face to belay at two 1/4 star drive museum piece bolts

Flaming Engines, AK-47s and The Telluride Photo Festival

Flaming engines, AK-47s, photo gear deluged by ATV hijinx, via ferrata, whiskey shots, missed portfolio reviews, runout wet sandstone pitches.. Amazing what kind of excitement can happen in a week's time...  Met some truly inspiring photographers at the Telluride Photo Festival and reconnected with others - the to and from and all between was exactly what I needed before escaping the continent...

Ever thankful for the creative inspiration of photographers - especially Mike Calabro and David Clifford - and a host of other shooters and extreme characters met this last week...

all images ©Bennett Barthelemy

Photographer David Clifford shoots on Imogene Pass at sunset during the Telluride Photo Festival

David Clifford, Mike Calabro and Richard Lee getting the shot.

Calabro making a statement.

Baja 1000 car and driver...

Calabro proving to be a hit with the ladies yet again.

Shoot with a pro clinic with David Clifford of Zeiss, Chimera and Pro Photo...

JP of Tandem Stills and Motion wooing the ladies...

David Clifford proving why he is a rad shooter on the via ferrata above Telluride with Jessa Younker as model.

Calabro cooking up a gourmet dirtbag meal.

Lone Eagle Collective

Still images record snippets of life, pockets of deep realities that the eye may catch but soon release.

I think this is why I like photography, and that static thin dimensional slice of synesthesia that when viewed again adds life, sounds, smells, emotion, pain, feelings into a split second - that can twist, grow, share and illuminate our collective moments...

High in Colorado

Last week we got high in Colorado...

Usually that means rambling around the alpine on a high peak... But this week was unique.

A good friend Corinne came to town from Denmark and such an occasion prompted something special. We booked a hot air ballon flight from Jeff at Fair Winds. I have watched the balloons launch from the backyard, a few hundred yards over the fence dozens of times and have been anxious to go up...

Jeff captained our balloon and has been flying since the late 1970's and he and his crew create something truly magical for their clients.

I cannot wait to fly and get high again... hotairballoonridescolorado.com

Hard As Nails Obstacle Mud Race 2015

Fun times running through mud, down water slides, across ropes... Here are a few of my images from this year's Hard As Nails Obstacle Mud Race...

265 foot waterslide, longest in Colorado... Damn that was fun!

Tyrollean traverse was a new and standout obstacle...

The kids course was nearly 3 kilometers and had way more sign ups this  year over last...

Mother and daughter at the finish with their earned golden nails...

Life At Negative 10 Degrees F

Gained perspective for winter life in a Colorado mountain town in this last storm…

Constant feeding of the perpetually starving wood stove requiring snowy slogs to the woodpile, loading bins, sledding them back… Digging out the push snowblower that in a few hours lives beneath a couple feet of drifted snow… The extra five minutes to add or remove several layers of clothing upon every entry and exit.

Just walking the dog becomes a near epic mini-adventure with neighborhood moose to be attentive too, frozen puppy paws from thrown booties… At a certain point it seems more calories are burned just meeting basic necessities for survival than can be easily consumed… The Nederland gym - Hiking to the mailbox…

More images of Ned snow life at Tandem Stills and Motion… When sometime model and adventure photographer and explorer Caroline Bennett isn't in survival mode in Ned she is often in the Amazon and other awesome places… You can check out some of her amazing work here, and at instagram: @carobennett