Last night I started reading "The Age of Surveillance Capitalism" by Shoshana Zuboff which looks to be a fascinating, topical and insightful read. Anybody read it?
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Patagonia 2010. Trapped on the Icecap I had the most unsettling mountain experience of my life. On this particular day Sat Nav had failed so it was like the old days pre-weather forecasting. We all knew we were on the edge and managed to bail out next day with some micro navigation through a serac barrier and down a glacier to safety. Wouldn't like to go through it again but it is without doubt the time we talk about the most 🤔
1 minute video with @khusky
I'm a bit knackered after sleeping on the sofa all night. Reason? Infestation of woodlice! Been going on for some time. We've tried pulse waves, de-humidifiers and tried to block holes in our bedroom natural rock wall. Nothing has worked. Ok, they aren't dangerous but who wants them dropping on you at night? We are talking 50+ a night. Last night we tried commercial poison both outside, where we think the main nest is, and inside the bedroom. Life in rural Spain eh?
Seems a little crazy to be putting a post about snow/blizzards am & pm telling you about how my Sun Umbrella from Six Moon Designs functioned! 🙂
Coming down to low levels in 30C heat yesterday afternoon. Hot & humid. There was fortunately a gusty breeze which helped. The Sun Umbrella worked great providing much needed cooling shade on an otherwise treeless & arid slope. I like how it collapses under strong wind gusts. Recommended for hot hikes.
https://www.sixmoondesigns.com/products/silver-shadow-carbon-umbrella
Patagonia Image 4
This image brings back quite emotive memories for me & conveys the full emptiness that is the Southern Patagonian Icecap.
Life here is very simple, arrive at camp, build snow walls, eat, drink & sleep. Sometimes we have sheltered for days in blizzard conditions. You can't afford a mistake, being 3+ days from human settlements.
Snow walls ... & who'd have thought there's so many technicalities in their construction?
@hikingdude nice shots. In the spring I spent 3 full days in the wild looking for this elusive creature and this is the best (only!) photo I could obtain 🤣
Good morning all. Some strong winds overnight meant a stunning sunrise here in Lanjaron this morning.
Patagonia Image 3
One year we arrived at the Cirque de las Altares during a blizzard. We hastily made camp and tried to warm up in our tents and sleeping bags. We hadn't really appreciated the wonderful situation we were in until next morning when we woke up to reasonably clear skies and the magnificent Cerro Torre coated in a thick layer of rime ice.
Patagonia Image 2
The Southern Patagonia Ice Field is the largest expanse of ice outside the poles. It extends S for approx 350km (220 miles). In places it is up to 80km (50 miles) wide. This ice mass feeds dozens of glaciers feeding into both Chile & Argentina.
Image was taken on a cloudy day. We could hardly tell the difference between land & sky. Suddenly the mists lifted & out of the gloom a horizontal window appeared revealing some magnificent peaks.
After being inspired yesterday by Colin Haley's exploits in Patagonia I went back through some of the photos from our own efforts of the Southern Patagonian Icecap over the years. Admittedly, they are nowhere near as vertical as his 🤣
Hope you don't mind me sharing some of them over the forthcoming week.
Image shows how flat the actual Icecap is. The surrounding mountains are hidden in cloud. A surreal world, far from human habitation.
Colin Haley climbing the Supercaneleta on Mount Fitzroy (Chalten). This guy is amazing and this self shot record of his ascent shows the commitment, skill and dedication required for winter mountaineering in Patagonia, nevermind a extremely tough route such as this in the middle of winter.
View from the morning dog walk. Beautiful colors as the early morning sun hits the landscape. Looking down through the olive groves to the Rules dam. Beyond the Mediterranean.
First landscape image taken from my new Jelly Star phone
Took delivery today of a Jelly Star phone (Unihertz). Only a 3" screen but a real pocket rocket of a phone, costing just €200 & weighing only 116 grams. 48mp camera, 8mb ram & 256gb storage. Sturdy & well made it's small size means it easily fits in a pocket.
Installed a simplified launcher (Niagara) to help digital detox. Going to be my main daily driver for calls, chats & navigation. Social media & all other apps remain on my original phone.
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Scrambling day on the rocky peak of Peñon de la Mata north of Granada
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A day scrambling on the wonderful peak of Peñon de la Mata north of Granada. The summit is surrounded by cliffs with only one hiking route to the top. Lots of possibilities for exploration.
I love scrambling, that grey area between hiking and rock climbing. Constant concentration and risk assessment means you aren't thinking at all about the mortgage 😂
Beautiful evening sunset tonight
Good morning from a bright and sunny Lanjaron. Hope you all have a great week
The first overnight rains for a few months last night. I love the freshness after autumn rains. Cloudy today but a break in the clouds allowing the sun to shine down on the town of Lanjaron in the Alpujarras.
Have a great weekend all.
River walking with a lovely group of people from Norway today. Inside the dense, lush foliage the air was cool, was even colder in the waterfall! 😂
A classic hike for a hot Spanish day
Cerro Huenes is in the Cumbres Verdes range W of the Sierra Nevada. Start is 15 mins drive from the Granada ring road. Pleasant hiking on good trails over numerous mountains, returning through forested hillsides.
Path ascends to Pico de la Carne 1809m. Hillsides are steep, path well-graded & the summit is reached via a short easy scramble right of the summit rocks. Path continues to Cerro Gordo 1809m & reigning peak Cerro Huenes 1882m.
