Hike to the peak at Mount Charleston

Pano at the top of Mt Charleston



The year I turned 50 Dennis asked what I wanted for my 50th birthday present. I said I wanted to hike to the peak at Mt. Charleston. We did many per hikes and even got caught in a lightning storm. I recently had an assignment to make a pano by stitching several images together. I found 10 images I had taken with my point and shoot camera that I hand held and was finally able to make a 360 view of my view from the top of Mt Charleston Peak. We started this hike at 6:30 am and finished the hike at 6:30 pm it was one of the hardest things I have done. Thanks Dennis for helping me accomplish this goal. After this hike Dennis said next time ask for diamonds.

Wounded Knee Cave in Red Rock Canyon

I heard of this cave from a friend.  I called and made an apointment to go explore the cave.  You need an appointment because the cave is locked.  It has a locked gate so that no one who would destroy it can enter.   And for good reason.  Another cave not more that 20 minutes away is trashed and spray painted with grafftie.   I was told bring knee pads, climbing helmet, 3 flashlights, water, snacks.  I was so excited to go and explore this cave, with it's stalagtites and stalagmites. I had my pro camera but never got it out of the back pack it was too dusty.  So I used my Olympus point and shoot camera.  The images aren't that great but here they are.   Now the rest of the story....

Entrance to wounded knee cave.  Yes you have to belly crawl.

Hence Wounded Knee

After crawling through the opening there is a 4 bar gate with a lock on the bottom bar.

Bars so the cave can breath.  They take down the bottom bar and you have to crawl under the bar to get the the part of the cave that you have to climb to get to the main cave.

 A plaque  talking about the cave put there by the Nevada Grotto a caving group that takes care of the cave, takes measurments twice a year.

 One of the limestone mini structures just inside the gate.

 The verticle climb to get to the main cave.

I tried I really did.  I made it half way up and couldn't go any farther. I had on thermals, pants, shirt, jacket, hat, helmet, leather gloves.   I began to overheat so I started pealing off clothes.  I took off everything but my thermals and my pants.  It was too late.  Hiking boots are really not very good climbing shoes either.  To climb this you really need to upper and lower body strength. 

Aparently I have neither.  

This is where I sat and waited while the others went into the main cave to get the measurements.

 All this horse needs is some water in that tire, to soak his tired feet.

All was not lost however. 

 On the way back to the car I took some interesting photographs along the way.

 Horse collars in the tac shed

 Measuring for the new shoes.

Filling the hoof to get ready for the new shoes.

Anticipating the ride. 

TIMELESS

Well it has been a few weeks since my last post. Since then my camera broke (that is another post) while out taking pictures at sunset, but it was a good sunset.   So I have been using my little point and shoot Olympus. But most of the time has been spent on getting my husband Dennis' new CD artwork ready for printing. The New CD is called "TIMELESS" Native American Flute Music. We are using a Grand Canyon Theme. So here are the new images that will be on the new CD

This is the front cover

 This is the Front Cover.  I was at the Grand Canyon for sunrise and there wasn't a cloud in the sky so around 3pm I took a nap in the truck.  OOOPs  I was awakend by people shouting "Rainbow"  I jumped up grabed my camera and tripod and mad a mad dash for the edge of the canyon.  It was spectacular. 

Inside the Front Cover

This image was taken when Dennis and I went to the Grand Canyon for a Second Honeymoon.  I promised I would not bring my pro camera and that the time would be ours.  We just brought the little Olympus point and shoot to document our time together.  Welllllllllllllllll  a photographer should never never never say that they won't take pictures.   I saw the rain in the distance and there was the tree and I said sorry can I have the camera and started shooting.  Needless to say D is now happy I did.

This image will be on the CD

This image was taken in Canyon De Chelly.  We hired a Navajo guide to take us to some seldom seen petroglyphs.  These were some of them.  One of the other images I took that day was the Rock Art of the "Blue Bull"

This is the back cover

This image was taken on the same day as the Front Cover Rainbow.   I had set up the tripod on the edge of the canyon and framed my composition.  I could see lightning on the horizion.  I didn't have a lightning sensor so I just held my finger on the exposure button and started taking shots.  Out of many many images I got 2 images of lightning, you can just make it out  on the horizion.  I love this shot.  For my birthday D got me a lightning sensor.  I haven't seen a lightning storm since.  Go figure

We are hoping to have the CD available in May.

Boulder City Train / Art Train

"The Art Train"

in Boulder City

Not many get to ride a train these days.  Did you know Boulder City has it's own train? 

I was fortunate enough to be able to show some of my photography on the BC Art Train, it was an unique and enjoyable experience.

"Engine 844"

"The sitting car"

Because I was an exhibitor I was allowed access on the train before it filled up with guests.

"The Open Car"

The train was filled to capacity a few minutes later. 

"Sitting Car"

This is styalized in monochrome

"Dream Train"

Even though he is a retired conductor and now volunteers he looked as if he were thinking of days gone by when he was a young conductor on the railroad. 

 I took an image I had of the engine going down the track and added it to the window and then added a soft edge to the image making it look like he was dreaming. 

The "Art Train" was fun and the money it raised went to a great charity. I can't wait to do it again.

"The Red Door"

Every train needs a caboose this one has a red door I wonder if all caboose have red doors

"The Caboose"

Not many people get to hang out windows and doors to take pictures while on a train.  This one wasn't moving very fast that is probably why I didn't get thrown off. It was a fun event and I had a great time on the "Art Train"

The End

 or should I say

 The Caboose

 .

Fremont Street, Las Vegas, Nevada

Las Vegas Documents hosts LV Technical High School for photo shoot at Fremont Street

Thanks Heather for the opportunity to come shoot with you.

The movers.  These guys were facinated with my camera and were happy to pose for a portrait inbetween moving slots around.

The   Golden Gate was getting new carpet.  When have you ever seen slots just  sitting on the sidewalk like this......Never!

 Something you don't see every day.  Only in Vegas baby.

Bling Bling,  reflections,reflections who's in the reflections

Shooting the lightbulbs, Oh to be young again.  It would have taken me 10 minutes to get up off the ground.

Send in the clowns.  Kinda creepy and dirty to be in a kiosk.

The  Escape

There are not to many of these in Las Vegas.  This looks more like N'Orleans

 The Palms

Simple and yet beautiful

Those were the days.

I would never want to do High School again.  But this was a fun day to share what I know and be of some help.

 Really?

This is what caught  my eye as I was pulling out of the parking lot.

A grown man with a huge rubber duck on his back and tights with hiking boots.  

Just hiking along .Only in Vegas.

Valley of Fire

Saturday I went to the Valley of Fire for a photo trip.  I was going to meet up with a group who were going to hike out to a  little known arch.  I thought this if a perfect chance to see something I hadn't seen before at Vof F, so off I went.  I packed up and left at first light. I stopped at the Tribal store and bought a few snacks, sunglasses (I couldn't find mine) and some sparklers for a later date to do some night photography.  Who knew they would be $19.00 I was is shock at the check out, but I didn't want to take they back so I paid.  They better be good. 
      I should have been at Vof F at sunrise but my old lazy self couldn't do it.   Seeing how the hike didn't start until 9:30 am I had plenty of time to hike around and get some shots I had missed last time out.  Most of the places where there are petoglyphs have been vandalized.  There was a little pointed piece of sandstone I went to go shoot again and it had been broken off.  My friend Jay who is a ranger there said that they have to go out once a month and remove graffitie.  It breaks my heart that people can't respect nature. 


  Look close at this rock formation it looks like a Garyolye.

The Gargoyle

Crying Rock

Half Man  (see the graffiti at the bottom)

great petoglyphs (more graffiti)

After photographing for a few hours I went to the Visitor's Center to meet up with the group.  No Group.  No one knew anything about the hike and so after waiting an hour.  I drove home.  On the way I stopped at the Petrified log turn out. 

Petirfied Wood

Even though I didn't get to hike back into the hidden arch.  I spotted this one some distance away from the road.  I think I will come back and get a little closer next time. 

There will be a next time .  I love hiking and photographing at the V of F.  there is always something to see and photograph.

Until next time. 

Brownstone Canyon Red Rock National Conservation Area

A section of Brown Stone Canyon I call the Fins

On of the 2 dams built in Brownstone.  This one is at the very end.

Color or Monocrhrome which do you prefer?

The red and yellow rocks were beautiful

The Fins

I used a process called Pixel Bender on this image it has a fun look.

Unlike petroglyphs the rock art uses paint

These images were under a overhang protecting the paint over the years. The paint had brilliant reds, yellows and whites.

A fellow photo buddy Ronnie, Dennis and I hiked to the end of brownstone canyon Saturday 2/25/12 aprox 4.5 miles round trip. We went because in a hidden area of the canon there is some Native American Rock Art that I had wanted to photograph. I was not disappointed. It was beautiful. Reds yellows and white paintings it filled an entire wall. We also hiked to several man made dams whether to provide a much needed watering hole for animals or to help with flash flooding I do not know but it was fascinating to see the sites. There were many facinating geological formations like brain rock.   I would like to spend the night there and get some sunrise shots that overlook the whole Las Vegas valley. The hiking was great the company was the best.