The FHC Earth Photos thread

[Hast]

throwing my pile in. Have to go back here now that I have moar and better gear!

Norway ofc.

Trollstigen:

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Geiranger

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Geiranger

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Geiranger

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[Nordstern]

They don't actually let people go up the vertical face anymore, there's a trail that loops up past vernal and nevada falls and around the back. The trail goes up on the other side from where the pic is taken, at about a 60 degree angle. There's poles with chains driven into the rock face to allow people to get up, but with people going up and down at the same time it can be kind of hairy. The real problem is that the base of the final assent is about 9 miles from the valley floor (that's the length of the trail), if you do it in a single day like I did you've gone 8 miles and climbed like 4k feet, and you were already at about 4k feet when you started. It's not too bad if you're an experienced hiker/backpacker, but you get a lot of people up there who get up there and then have to get back down again.

Basically what I did was the halfdome Day Hike, which is 19 miles, over rough terrain, at altitude, with a 4k foot ascent descent. It's probably the toughest single day hike you can find in the US.

Well, as it turns out, my memory is faulty. The scouts actually climbed El Cap (link here, August 1997, page 36). It was actually a National Geographic photo I was remembering.

[Overspark]

Trollstigen:

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Best driving road... in the world?

[Loire]

Trollstigen:

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Best driving road... in the world?

They're just switch backs on a U-shape valley.

That bridge right over the waterfall is pretty nice though.

[indi]

Time to throw in some of the more amazing sights in Oman, as photographed by Overspark or indi in january 2011:

Wahiba Sands. (Funny story attached to taking this one, ask me on irc)

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Wahiba Sands, again. Was amazed that stuff, actually, does grow in the desert. (The first one showcases the beauty of the place much better though)

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Jabal Shams. It was like standing on the roof of the world, will return in november this year - it was just that much of AWWWW YEAH!

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Jabal Shams again, zooming in. You can see the clouds (a few kilometers high will do this) and the donkey path used only decades before to transport goods down.

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Wadi Bani Khalid. Wadi's are pretty spectacular. Unfortunately our camera battery was going on empty.. it deserves better pictures than this one, but we don't have. Trust, it's earth p*rn if you're there

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[Mythago]

Time to throw in some of the more amazing sights in Oman, as photographed by Overspark or indi in january 2011:

Wahiba Sands. (Funny story attached to taking this one, ask me on irc)

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Wahiba Sands, again. Was amazed that stuff, actually, does grow in the desert. (The first one showcases the beauty of the place much better though)

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Jabal Shams. It was like standing on the roof of the world, will return in november this year - it was just that much of AWWWW YEAH!

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Jabal Shams again, zooming in. You can see the clouds (a few kilometers high will do this) and the donkey path used only decades before to transport goods down.

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Wadi Bani Khalid. Wadi's are pretty spectacular. Unfortunately our camera battery was going on empty.. it deserves better pictures than this one, but we don't have. Trust, it's earth p*rn if you're there

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What's Oman like? I might get to go there in November on a fieldtrip bursary. The project area is on the north coast, around Muscat

[indi]

What's Oman like? I might get to go there in November on a fieldtrip bursary. The project area is on the north coast, around Muscat

Let me guess, PDO?

Overspark lived in Oman (near Muscat) as a kid, because his father was a Shell employee. That's the reason that led up to our visit in january 2011. Funnily enough, we're going back for another 2 weeks in november this year as well, so we might bump into each other.

My impression is that the people as a whole are incredibly friendly and outgoing. They are pretty tolerant as long as you observe some minor courtesies, like wearing clothes that cover up your legs to the knees, arms at least past shoulder and preferably to elbow (this goes for both men and women). I have not had a single unpleasant experience with the Omani's. The countryside is diverse and the natural beauty is incredible. It ranges from the starkly beautiful mountains to the fertile wadis, the desert and the coast (with diving opportunities and turtles!). There is no real mass tourism yet. I will PM you with some of the highlights of our previous trip - the kind that you really should not miss :-)

[spasm]

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Save Valley Conservancy, Zimbabwe.

[Lowa [NSN]]

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Save Valley Conservancy, Zimbabwe.

Oh man I almost want to cry... Take me, take me there now!

Some truly spectacular photos here and some are just "how/what/where the hell is THAT?".

[spasm]

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Nullarbor Plains, Rooland.

[Shiodome]

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Nullarbor Plains, Rooland.

this is pretty much my mental image of the entirety of Australia.

[Jags]

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Castle Tioram, Loch Moidart, Ardnamurchan, Highland

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Loch Venachar, The Trossachs, Stirlingshire. Bout 20 mins from my house Stunning place to visit and just chill out for hours. Fuckin cold in the winter mind you.

[F18]

Because Scotland

Shieldaig village under moonlight.

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Overlooking Skye from the Bealach na Bà

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Coulin Hills

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Credit:: Steve Carter Photography

[FatFreddy]

don't know where any of these are

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[Frug]

This thread delivers.

[Daco]

Some pictures of my motherland New Zealand:

Moeraki Boulders: These are pretty awesome because they're so round, I can't remember the Maori's story behind them but yeah pretty cool.

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The Ben Ohau Range: Apparently the clouds in the first image is a common occurrence due to how the wind flows over the mountains.

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The Rotarua Hot Springs: Been to these a few times, takes a bit to get over the smell but fairly amazing to see.

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[spasm]

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Wayag, Raja Ampat Islands.

[FatFreddy]

obligatory www.reddit.com/r/earthporn

also

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"hoher kasten", switzerland



rest of them idk

[spasm]

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Fingal's Cave, Scotland.

[spasm]

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Skye, Scotland.