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2006_10_18_21_Mineral_King_Empire_Mine_392_454C_SubPano
Jeff392-454C
I put this first because I know not everyone has time to go through all photos and I didn't want this to be "lost". This is about a 5 photo pano of the peaks across the way from Empire Mine Mt. I put peak and elevation labels on al
Date: 11/13/2006
Views: 782
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2006_10_18_21_Mineral_King_Empire_Mine_005
Jeff002
So begins the fun...Wednesday morning, October 18, 2006 at the home of Bob and Linda Hengst in the Sierra foothills. Sarah's literally up a tree (or at least heading that way in this picture) to set up a rope for us to practice ascending ...
Date: 10/18/2006
Views: 182
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2006_10_18_21_Mineral_King_Empire_Mine_006_009_film_001
Jeff006-009 film
Sarah carefully inching out on the limb to place the rope.
Date: 10/18/2006
Views: 180
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2006_10_18_21_Mineral_King_Empire_Mine_013
Jeff011
Sarah rendering her situation safe by securing herself to the tree before she gets to the work of placing our practice rope.
Date: 10/18/2006
Views: 185
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2006_10_18_21_Mineral_King_Empire_Mine_017
Jeff016
Yup, Sarah still in the tree having finished her work out on the limb. Little did we down on the ground know that her next move would be to leap out from her perch, suspending herself in midair and rappeling down to solid ground. Look...
Date: 10/18/2006
Views: 187
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2006_10_18_21_Mineral_King_Empire_Mine_023_06_film_001
Jeff023-06 film
Next on the practice rope was Mike. First ascend, then rappel. Nice work, Mike. As a result of passing this test, you are now certified to enter Empire Mine.
Date: 10/18/2006
Views: 199
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2006_10_18_21_Mineral_King_Empire_Mine_036_069_072_film_JeffRapel_001
Jeff036 069 072 film JeffRapel
Next comes Jeff on the rope. Is that a scale John is hanging on your rope? Odd, truly odd, but no excuse for getting the ascender stuck up against the rappel device and fighting the whole mess red-faced for half an...
Date: 10/18/2006
Views: 193
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2006_10_18_21_Mineral_King_Empire_Mine_043
Jeff042
While Jeff was fighting the aforementioned mess up in the tree, John was taking random photos with his snazzy camera. Mike, Halloween is still a couple weeks away, what's with the scary mask?
Date: 10/18/2006
Views: 171
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2006_10_18_21_Mineral_King_Empire_Mine_075
Jeff074
Next up, John. He needed more instruction in how to use all the climbing equipment due to very little past experience. Here's proof that he received that extra instruction.
Date: 10/18/2006
Views: 175
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2006_10_18_21_Mineral_King_Empire_Mine_078
Jeff076
John learning from Sarah how to switch from ascending to rappeling.
Date: 10/18/2006
Views: 180
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2006_10_18_21_Mineral_King_Empire_Mine_078_080_film_001
Jeff078-080 film
John thinking, "I'm trusting my life to this little piece of rope?" It appears we have a shoe thief on the crew...not a very nice thing to do to someone struggling up a rope... Another sucessful certification for entry into E
Date: 10/18/2006
Views: 167
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2006_10_18_21_Mineral_King_Empire_Mine_082
Jeff081
This same morning, a backhoe was working in the field around Bob and Linda's house removing fence posts in preparation for fruit trees. Here's Mike offering his 2 cents to Uncle Bob.
Date: 10/18/2006
Views: 163
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IMG_Mike_4132
IMG Mike 4132
Well, a safe drive up the mountain and we arrived at the Dink-Inn in Mineral King. Jeff seems to be very happy to be out of the car.
Date: 10/18/2006
Views: 187
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IMG_Mike_4134
IMG Mike 4134
A side view of the cabin showing a smattering of snow left from a couple of storms that had passed through in the last week.
Date: 10/18/2006
Views: 182
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IMG_Mike_4138
IMG Mike 4138
None of us have ever seen Mineral King in the Fall. Here's the East fork of the Kaweah River as it passes behind the cabin. We missed the best Fall colors by a few weeks.
Date: 10/18/2006
Views: 178
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IMG_Mike_4142
IMG Mike 4142
Jeff and Sarah demonstrating that everyone has their own opinion about which way to go...
Date: 10/18/2006
Views: 188
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IMG_Mike_4144
IMG Mike 4144
A campaign poster photo of John? Just add the words, "John King really cares about trees 'n rocks 'n ferns 'n bushes 'n things. Vote for John!"
Date: 10/18/2006
Views: 180
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IMG_John_1985
IMG John 1985
Holy cow, whatever Mike has in his hand must be quite alarming...
Date: 10/18/2006
Views: 185
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IMG_Mike_4146
IMG Mike 4146
Sometimes it's tough to get everyone's faces fully in the picture when you have a big grouping of people...
Date: 10/18/2006
Views: 176
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IMG_Mike_4149
IMG Mike 4149
Three of us walking in the shadows with Sawtooth peak peeking through the trees.
Date: 10/18/2006
Views: 174
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2006_10_18_21_Mineral_King_Empire_Mine_086
Jeff085
Hmmm, looks like a bad case of somethin'. Not sure what...but there's Sawtooth again and Empire Mountain just making it into the left edge of this picture.
Date: 10/18/2006
Views: 184
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2006_10_18_21_Mineral_King_Empire_Mine_092
Jeff090
We are NOT going any further! And you can't make us! Actually just messing around in front of a beautiful backdrop of Sawtooth and Empire Mountain.
Date: 10/18/2006
Views: 164
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2006_10_18_21_Mineral_King_Empire_Mine_094
Jeff091
Same backdrop, same characters, totally different expressions.
Date: 10/18/2006
Views: 188
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IMG_Mike_4150
IMG Mike 4150
Sarah's urge to climb rocks is insatiable. Here she's found a suitable specimen right next to the road.
Date: 10/18/2006
Views: 186
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2006_10_18_21_Mineral_King_Empire_Mine_095
Jeff093
A waning sun view of Honeymoon Cabin at the end of the Mineral King road.
Date: 10/18/2006
Views: 188
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2006_10_18_21_Mineral_King_Empire_Mine_102
Jeff096
Nice view of Fairwell Gap as the sun is going down with the East fork of the Kaweah River in the foreground.
Date: 10/18/2006
Views: 169
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2006_10_18_21_Mineral_King_Empire_Mine_100
Jeff098
Mike the tourist...camera, bottle of water and a funny look on his face...perfect.
Date: 10/18/2006
Views: 180
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IMG_Mike_4153
IMG Mike 4153
Wow, speaking of tourists, here's another one...
Date: 10/18/2006
Views: 179
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IMG_Mike_4155
IMG Mike 4155
Where's Sarah? Oh, she's hangin' out inside that tree over there.
Date: 10/18/2006
Views: 193
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2006_10_18_21_Mineral_King_Empire_Mine_101
Jeff099
Amazing how a reflection in a car window can make a photo interesting in spite of John's face being in the way. :)
Date: 10/18/2006
Views: 172
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IMG_Mike_4159
IMG Mike 4159
Fairwell Gap on the right side of the photo. Nice dusting of snow.
Date: 10/18/2006
Views: 185
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IMG_Mike_4162
IMG Mike 4162
Timber Gap smack in the middle of the photo. In the 1870's, timber was cut there then hauled on a wagon road over to Empire Mine (to the right, out of the picture) for use shoring up mine shafts.
Date: 10/18/2006
Views: 190
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2006_10_18_21_Mineral_King_Empire_Mine_108
Jeff107
Everyone who goes to Mineral King must have a photo taken of them on this bridge (it's almost a law of nature). Here's Sarah's required photo with her defying a true law of nature...gravity.
Date: 10/18/2006
Views: 185
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2006_10_18_21_Mineral_King_Empire_Mine_114
Jeff112
Well, a good idea can always be improved upon, so here's John hangin' out.
Date: 10/18/2006
Views: 166
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2006_10_18_21_Mineral_King_Empire_Mine_115
Jeff113
Exactly seven seconds later, John's expression has turned to either fear or pain...
Date: 10/18/2006
Views: 167
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2006_10_18_21_Mineral_King_Empire_Mine_117
Jeff116
What on earth?
Date: 10/18/2006
Views: 181
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2006_10_18_21_Mineral_King_Empire_Mine_132
Jeff130
Double what on earth??
Date: 10/18/2006
Views: 176
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2006_10_18_21_Mineral_King_Empire_Mine_133
Jeff131
Ok, something MUST be wrong with this group, how else can one explain such behavior?
Date: 10/18/2006
Views: 184
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2006_10_18_21_Mineral_King_Empire_Mine_136
Jeff135
Burn, baby, burn! John exercising his fire skills in lighting the barbeque. Mmmm, newspaper flavored steak coming right up!
Date: 10/18/2006
Views: 186
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2006_10_18_21_Mineral_King_Empire_Mine_139
Jeff137
ding, ding, ding... Round two. Fire 1, fire lighers 0.
The brickettes were just resisting all efforts to light. We eventually finished cooking our tri-tip in the cabin oven.
Date: 10/18/2006
Views: 186
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