Uploads from urbandispute, with geodata

Round Valley, California-395

nobody@flickr.com (urbandispute) — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 15:22:21 -0800

I'm not sure of the exact name of the area, but I always pull off of 395 to take some pictures here. This is one of the greenest parts of Owens Valley, which makes you wonder how the rest of the area looked before Los Angeles started diverting water away from here.

U.S. Supreme Court front door

nobody@flickr.com (urbandispute) — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 15:10:04 -0700

urbandispute posted a photo:

Last year this door was closed for good, owing to what most of the justices agreed were security concerns. Justices Breyer and Ginsburg dissented.

latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2010/05/supreme-court...

Wheeler Peak, Great Basin National Park, Nevada

nobody@flickr.com (urbandispute) — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 18:10:15 -0700

urbandispute posted a photo:

There is an 8-mile day hike to the 13,000 ft.-summit starting from a point much higher than one seen here -- or there is road which gets there much faster.

Kayaker on St. Mary's Falls, Glacier National Park

nobody@flickr.com (urbandispute) — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 02:58:04 -0700

urbandispute posted a photo:

A driving rain on this day coupled with June snow melt made the water ferocious, so it was surprising to see a couple of paddlers scoping out spots to launch. Once these guys got in the water, most of the tourists in the area, who had come to enjoy the falls from the safety of a guardrail-enclosed bridge, looked on in disbelief.

Welcome to Montana

nobody@flickr.com (urbandispute) — Sun, 24 Jul 2011 18:17:16 -0700

urbandispute posted a photo:

The Canadian border crossing on US-93 is not as heavily trafficked as most international crossings I have used. This shot was taken of a mostly empty road a few miles south of the international entrance.

Assawoman Bay, Maryland

nobody@flickr.com (urbandispute) — Sun, 24 Jul 2011 15:22:28 -0700

urbandispute posted a photo:

Obligatory sunset shot. Ideally there would have been a brighter exposure of the foreground to paste over the lower half of this shot.

Black bear, Kootenay National Park

nobody@flickr.com (urbandispute) — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 17:03:35 -0700

urbandispute posted a photo:

He was mostly interested in eating and didn't pay much attention to the photographer.

Moraine Lake, Banff National Park, Alberta

nobody@flickr.com (urbandispute) — Sun, 17 Jul 2011 18:07:48 -0700

urbandispute posted a photo:

The lake is a short drive from Lake Louise, about 35 miles north of Banff, Alberta. It stays frozen well into June but had just about thawed out when I was there. In contrast to Lake Louise, which is surrounded mostly by trees, there are several vantage points around Moraine that open up to incredible views of the area's glacial waters and rugged mountain peaks. Many of the nearby trails were still snow covered. The lake's 6000 ft. elevation confines hiking to the warmer months, especially in years like 2011 where there was high snowfall in the region.

Athabasca Glacier, Jasper National Park

nobody@flickr.com (urbandispute) — Sun, 03 Jul 2011 20:35:29 -0700

urbandispute posted a photo:

This is the tip of a glacier which extends several miles up a mountain valley and meets with the Columbia Ice Field at a higher elevation. Though the ice has slowly diminished over the years, it is still an awesome sight to behold. There are numerous crevasses and streams hidden in the ice, which if breached on foot can lead to frozen death. Consequently, there are numerous signs in the area emphatically warning people not to walk on the ice without a qualified guide. Still, it was hard to resist taking just a couple of steps up the slope.

Morning on the trail

nobody@flickr.com (urbandispute) — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 21:54:42 -0700

urbandispute posted a photo:

There is a seven mile trail from the trailhead to a camp site on the far end of Lake Bowman. Most of the trail is enclosed in dense vegetation, which grows right to the water's edge. Every once in a while, though, a small clearing provides a chance to look out over the lake. During my hike, the weather changed about every half hour, alternating between rain and sun. It was a good chance to practice unpacking and repacking rain gear, though.

Spanish Bottom and the Colorado River

nobody@flickr.com (urbandispute) — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 05:37:05 -0700

urbandispute posted a photo:

The Doll House

nobody@flickr.com (urbandispute) — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 16:43:08 -0700

urbandispute posted a photo:

Chimney Rock, Maze District, Canyonlands National Park

nobody@flickr.com (urbandispute) — Sat, 02 Apr 2011 16:48:40 -0700

urbandispute posted a photo:

Chimney Rock is about a three-mile hike from the Doll House. From here, there are four or five trails, including some that will take you into the Maze proper.

Will it float?

nobody@flickr.com (urbandispute) — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 16:12:56 -0700

urbandispute posted a photo:

There are two ways to get to the Maze District: 50 miles of dirt road or a nine-mile hike from the Needles District combined with a river crossing. We went for the second option. The eight-pound Coleman watercraft that was lugged in for the event was the cheapest one available, and after riding it into a swift current, I can also say that I will never use it again. The river looks deceptively calm in the picture. And with the rapids of Cataract Canyon only a short way downstream, the raft crossing turned out to be somewhat more thrilling than originally planned.

Zabriskie Point, Death Valley, California

nobody@flickr.com (urbandispute) — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 17:52:28 -0800

urbandispute posted a photo:

Sunrise

Middle Rae Lake, Kings Canyon National Park, California

nobody@flickr.com (urbandispute) — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 16:21:04 -0800

urbandispute posted a photo:

With parts of the Sierra getting walloped with 13+ feet of snow in the last few days, I wonder what the scene at Rae Lakes looks like now. This photo, taken in September, is a composite of about 12 different shots. See the notes for geographic features.

Clouds Rest Summit, Yosemite National Park

nobody@flickr.com (urbandispute) — Thu, 04 Nov 2010 04:37:45 -0700

urbandispute posted a video:

At nearly 10,000 feet above sea level, Clouds Rest is a thin glacial ridge -- known as an arête -- that separates two valleys. The granite path along the summit becomes quite narrow and exposed at certain points, offering a commanding view of Half Dome and Yosemite Valley below. The summit can be reached via a mostly level seven-mile hike from the Tioga Road and Tenaya Lake area or as part of a grueling climb from Yosemite Valley. (Please excuse the heavy breathing.)

Smithsonian Hut Shelter (14,505 ft.), Mt. Whitney Summit

nobody@flickr.com (urbandispute) — Sun, 26 Sep 2010 11:19:33 -0700

urbandispute posted a photo:

Finished in 1909, this was originally built as an astronomy observation post. Donkeys hauled building supplies up the mountain's narrow trails, and construction was finished in four weeks. Often, the building is locked, with a set of instructions on the door spelling out retreat down the mountain as the best option in the event of a storm, though some stranded groups have taken refuge in the shelter while waiting for helicopter or ground rescue. (see www.whitneyzone.com/wz/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number... for more info.) The weather on Mt. Whitney can change by the hour, including occasional summer snow, and people who have taken refuge in the hut have been killed by lightning. The best time to climb the 11-mile trail to the top is in August or early September as either an overnight trip or grueling day hike.

Alabama Hills near Whitney Portal Road and Lone Pine, California

nobody@flickr.com (urbandispute) — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 10:51:08 -0700

urbandispute posted a photo:

Half Dome, Yosemite National Park

nobody@flickr.com (urbandispute) — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 18:09:55 -0700

urbandispute posted a photo:

This is where my hike from Tenaya Lake ended, unfortunately. I had finished my Rae Lakes hike in two and a half days, with 25 miles of it coming the day before the Half Dome trek. The legs were too wobbly at this point to attempt the cables up the final 500 ft. to the summit. There was still a long climb down to Happy Isles, though. And there would be a bigger hill to climb a couple of days later.