Alpine Happiness

[Hem]

Different kind of thread. I'm curious how many of you have a passion for exploring above treeline? Since I was a kid I have always been drawn to high peaks, alpine lakes, wandering ridge lines. Some of the climbs have been slightly ego driven but most have been purely about seeking solitude. I am not a technical climber. Ropes and hardware are not my thing, I lean towards wanderlust.
It would be cool if like minds would share pics, maybe a quick briefing...
Surely there are alpine hunting pics, out of country trips.
A thread to showcase everything remote, rugged, high.

One goal I made in recent years was to climb every 10k peak in a local range. 43 total. I picked away at it and finished two summers ago.

 

[Oak]

Treeline is a little higher down here, around 12,000’. Yet there are some places you can walk a dozen miles above treeline. Love it.

 

[Hem]

Treeline is a little higher down here, around 12,000’. Yet there are some places you can walk a dozen miles above treeline. Love it.

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Spectacular!

 

[Deleted member 16014]

Teton Crest a few years ago, HWY 22 to Jenny Lake in one go. A few foot injuries later I’m not sure my ankles can do it now.

 

[Sytes]

One goal I made in recent years was to climb every 10k peak in a local range. 43 total. I picked away at it and finished two summers ago.

If you're married and conquered 43 local alpine climate peaks, I'll front the $ to publish! This may exceed the Venus & Mars dillio!

Very cool, Hem. Grats!

A favorite alpine climate area was Triple Divide Pass in GNP. The tiny dwarf pines a few hundred feet below and marmot heaven w/in the rocks.

 

[Deleted member 16014]

Fun thread, I’ll have to dig back through the camera sometime this week.

 

[EYJONAS!]

 

[sapperJ24]

A quick trip to the Continental Divide a few years back. Not quite above treeline, but dancing around it. I do love a good ridge run!

Congrats on the accomplishment!

 

[Hem]

If you're married and conquered 43 local alpine climate peaks, I'll front the $ to publish! This may exceed the Venus & Mars dillio!

Very cool, Hem. Grats!

A favorite alpine climate area was Triple Divide Pass in GNP. The tiny dwarf pines a few hundred and marmot heaven w/in the rocks.

My wife understands.
Wish I was closer to Glacier.
There simply isn't enough time in life.

 

[MTLabrador]

 

[MTLabrador]

 

[sapperJ24]

@Hem Thanks for starting this thread. I'm really enjoying going through my old pictures and seeing other's adventures! It's a great distraction from the politics.

 

[sapperJ24]

One of my absolute favorite spots I've ever had the pleasure of spending the night. I was lucky enough to share tent with my wife and pup.






I do regret not having a better phone sometimes.

 

[Irrelevant]

It's getting to be the only places left to get away from the hoards. No trails to any of these, all completely unique destinations.









We run into the opposite problem as @Oak our trees go right to the top many times.

Not a lot of ridge walking around here pretty cliffy.

 

[Hem]

My daughter intentionally did a full plunge next to the remaining ice.

 

[Hem]

It's getting to be the only places left to get away from the hoards. No trails to any of these, all completely unique destinations.

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We run into the opposite problem as @Oak our trees go right to the top many times.

Not a lot of ridge walking around here pretty cliffy.

I was counting on you to share.

 

[theat]

Nothing better than spending a day (or a couple weeks) up in the alpine. I have some similar goals. I have been checking off highpoint for each mountain range in Montana, but still have a long way to go on that list. I'm also trying to summit every peak above 7000' in my local wilderness area. Only 3 left to go on that list.

Your mention of out of country trips got me thinking of my only volcano climb. Back in 2006-2007 I met my parents and sister in Bali for the holidays. My parents were living in that part of the world at the time, so it made a great excuse for me to visit an area I had spent some of my childhood. While I was there, I decided that I wanted to climb the local volcano. It is called Ganung Agung and is just under 10,000' tall. I had no idea where to start the hike or what route to take, but after a few inquiries I found a local teenager that knew the route up and was willing to show me the way for around $30. Seemed like a good deal to me! I arranged a vehicle to take us up to the most sacred Balinese temple where the trail started. It was highly recommended to start hiking a few hours before daylight to be able to see the sunrise from the crater rim, so it was a very early 2am wake up the next morning. The hike up wasn't too bad with most of it on steep but very grippy volcanic rock. It took us about an hour less than the guide expected to get up to the top as he wasn't expecting an American to be in as good as shape as he was. Unfortunately, that hour before sunrise was very cold and windy and I had mostly packed beach clothes. Thankfully my guide had a extra rain suit that kept me from freezing to death while we huddled in a lava chute waiting for the sun to come up. It was all worth it once I got to see the sunrise from above the clouds.







Looking into the crater


Above his head in the forest you can see the temple where we started and ended the hike.


Besakih Temple


Gunung Agung has since had several somewhat large eruptions forcing mass evacuations and even caused a significant disruption to flights from asia to Australia and New Zealand. Not my pic, but a shot of one of the eruptions in 2017.


Thanks for starting this thread. Brought back some good memories and this place needed something uplifting to counter some of the drama lately!

 

[Hem]

Nothing better than spending a day (or a couple weeks) up in the alpine. I have some similar goals. I have been checking off highpoint for each mountain range in Montana, but still have a long way to go on that list. I'm also trying to summit every peak above 7000' in my local wilderness area. Only 3 left to go on that list.

Your mention of out of country trips got me thinking of my only volcano climb. Back in 2006-2007 I met my parents and sister in Bali for the holidays. My parents were living in that part of the world at the time, so it made a great excuse for me to visit an area I had spent some of my childhood. While I was there, I decided that I wanted to climb the local volcano. It is called Ganung Agung and is just under 10,000' tall. I had no idea where to start the hike or what route to take, but after a few inquiries I found a local teenager that knew the route up and was willing to show me the way for around $30. Seemed like a good deal to me! I arranged a vehicle to take us up to the most sacred Balinese temple where the trail started. It was highly recommended to start hiking a few hours before daylight to be able to see the sunrise from the crater rim, so it was a very early 2am wake up the next morning. The hike up wasn't too bad with most of it on steep but very grippy volcanic rock. It took us about an hour less than the guide expected to get up to the top as he wasn't expecting an American to be in as good as shape as he was. Unfortunately, that hour before sunrise was very cold and windy and I had mostly packed beach clothes. Thankfully my guide had a extra rain suit that kept me from freezing to death while we huddled in a lava chute waiting for the sun to come up. It was all worth it once I got to see the sunrise from above the clouds.
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Looking into the crater
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Above his head in the forest you can see the temple where we started and ended the hike.
View attachment 216896

Besakih Temple
View attachment 216897

Gunung Agung has since had several somewhat large eruptions forcing mass evacuations and even caused a significant disruption to flights from asia to Australia and New Zealand. Not my pic, but a shot of one of the eruptions in 2017.
View attachment 216901

Thanks for starting this thread. Brought back some good memories and this place needed something uplifting to counter some of the drama lately!

Wow. Super cool. Thanks for sharing.

 

[theat]

There really isn't true above tree line alpine around where I live, but these are a few from my local wilderness taken on a multi-peak climb overnight trip last June.

 

[Oak]

Nothing better than spending a day (or a couple weeks) up in the alpine. I have some similar goals. I have been checking off highpoint for each mountain range in Montana, but still have a long way to go on that list. I'm also trying to summit every peak above 7000' in my local wilderness area. Only 3 left to go on that list.

Your mention of out of country trips got me thinking of my only volcano climb. Back in 2006-2007 I met my parents and sister in Bali for the holidays. My parents were living in that part of the world at the time, so it made a great excuse for me to visit an area I had spent some of my childhood. While I was there, I decided that I wanted to climb the local volcano. It is called Ganung Agung and is just under 10,000' tall. I had no idea where to start the hike or what route to take, but after a few inquiries I found a local teenager that knew the route up and was willing to show me the way for around $30. Seemed like a good deal to me! I arranged a vehicle to take us up to the most sacred Balinese temple where the trail started. It was highly recommended to start hiking a few hours before daylight to be able to see the sunrise from the crater rim, so it was a very early 2am wake up the next morning. The hike up wasn't too bad with most of it on steep but very grippy volcanic rock. It took us about an hour less than the guide expected to get up to the top as he wasn't expecting an American to be in as good as shape as he was. Unfortunately, that hour before sunrise was very cold and windy and I had mostly packed beach clothes. Thankfully my guide had a extra rain suit that kept me from freezing to death while we huddled in a lava chute waiting for the sun to come up. It was all worth it once I got to see the sunrise from above the clouds.
View attachment 216890

View attachment 216892


View attachment 216893

Looking into the crater
View attachment 216894

Above his head in the forest you can see the temple where we started and ended the hike.
View attachment 216896

Besakih Temple
View attachment 216897

Gunung Agung has since had several somewhat large eruptions forcing mass evacuations and even caused a significant disruption to flights from asia to Australia and New Zealand. Not my pic, but a shot of one of the eruptions in 2017.
View attachment 216901

Thanks for starting this thread. Brought back some good memories and this place needed something uplifting to counter some of the drama lately!

When I started reading this I was thinking, “hey, that thing erupted recently!”