StellaRuby Cottages – web frames
Posted: January 26, 2012 Filed under: Photography Leave a comment »The StellaRuby Cottages are located in downtown Moab, just off of Main St., Hwy 191. This past fall I worked with Matt, the owner of the cottages, to get photos of the interior and exterior of the three units. Take a look at their website to see the images. They have a spacious backyard, hot tub, are dog friendly and perfect for groups. Also, if you are looking for activities, such as a guided hike through the fiery furnace, take a look at the Moab based Windgate Adventures guide service for all they have to offer. Make your time in Moab a trip to remember.
StellaRuby Cottages
William Tower – The Bird Man, fallen tree to living art
Posted: January 23, 2012 Filed under: Photography, Stories, Uncategorized Leave a comment »The creation of art comes in many shapes and forms. I’m alway keeping my eyes open on my trips to see what people are creating. On my drive through Lake Arrowhead, California this past January, I was making a turn onto the highway and glanced to the side to see a giant eagle being carved out of a giant tree. By far it was the largest wooden sculpture I had ever seen. This eagle was being carved by William Tower with a 50″ chainsaw. He was in the middle of a huge cut that was taking all of his concentration. People were flooding the yard where he was cutting to see this piece he was working on, and to purchase smaller pieces for their homes. I kept thinking, How would you move this thing?
William said he had contacted the Guinness book of World Records to enter this piece, as it is the largest wood carving to date. As we were standing in the talking a red tailed hawk was hovering above. He said that since he has been working on this piece, hawks and eagles have been flying by on a daily basis. The piece has an incredible look to it. Hope William gets into the Guinness book and continues creating great works of art. Take a look at his website. www.towerartwilliam.com.
Happy New Year!
Posted: January 4, 2012 Filed under: Uncategorized Leave a comment »It’s time to say goodbye to the great year of 2011 and hello to the much awaited 2012. Many great things have happened in 2011, so many I can’t write about them all. In the spring I started my own guide service, Windgate Adventures. A year full of incredible guiding in the desert, showing people from all over the world my home. (canyoneering, rock climbing, rappelling, hiking, and teaching photography to many enthusiasts). It doesn’t get any better then that.
Not only was the guide service the main focus of my year, I also had a chance to enjoy an incredible trip down Cataract Canyon during high water with the Wounded Warriors on Cataract organization. I met a group of incredible war veterans that have been in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. I documented the trip with photos and had a chance to put together a great photo book thanks to the generosity of the people at Ibook.
This winter has lead me to the Southern US, (Arkansas, Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia) for a climbing road trip with some friends to see new areas and meet many great people. I look forward to every day, to what I’ll see, who I will meet and the experiences that take place. Open your doors each day, enjoy it all because it goes by pretty quickly.
The photo below was taken last night as I was leaving Joshua Tree. I had heard of these highlines going up and happened to see them while I was on my drive, following the sun. I grabbed my camera, which I always have near and charged up a rock outcrop to get to the summit before this person began to walk. It shows a number of rock outcrops, which makes up the beauty of the Joshua Tree scenery. He walked the highline in both directions without falling, staying incredibly focused the entire time.
Stay focused on your adventures and stay focused to accomplish your goals in 2012!
Climb on!
Eric
Winter Sunshine – Trash the Dress with the Simons – 2 year anniversary
Posted: January 3, 2012 Filed under: Photography, Trash the Dress, Wedding Leave a comment »Just after Christmas in California I did this photo shoot with the Sara and Sven Simon for their second anniversary. We headed to Laguna Beach, just north of San Diego for a Trash the Dress photo shoot. The dress survived the shoot and they both had a great time. This was the place that Sven proposed to Sara. After living in Moab for the past six years, it was great to be in the warm California sunshine. Enjoy!
Southeast Bound – winter on the road
Posted: December 6, 2011 Filed under: Climbing, Photography Leave a comment »
It’s time to get on the road for a road trip this winter. Where do we go, who brings what, and how do we make it happen. Driving the truck seemed like the most logical way to see the country on our journey out East. Our goal is to get to climb as many areas around Chattanooga, TN as we could in the few weeks we have. I’ve heard it’s amazing and had to see it for myself.
The guide season for my business Windgate Adventures in Moab came to a close for the season just after Thanksgiving. The winter was about to hit the desert and end the climbing season. We loaded all of our gear into the truck… pads, climbing shoes, packs (I’m a huge fan of the Deuter Guide 35 for trips like this) and everything else we had in the mix.
I met up just after Thanksgiving with two friends in Southern California. One buddy is a peddy cab driver in San Francisco, and the other works on Yosemite search and rescue. I was and have been so psyched, we are all psyched to climb this entire year and have been training for the sloping holds of the SE by climbing the crimps at our local crags.
Out first stop was at an area in central Alabama called, Horse Pens 40. The new guidebook showed up a few days before we took off. Hearing of this place for so many years from friends, saying it is some of the best in the country had my ears ringing.
After our 30+ hours of driving, with stops to climb in Little Rock, Arkansas and somewhere in Texas, we made it to the Appalachian forest, to the home of the HP40. We ran out of the car like it was our first climbing trip. We grabbed our gear and made our way to the classic Millipede boulder. Bumboy was the first thing we jumped on and it spit us multiple times. It was going to take some time and skin to get used to this place. That night after a few hours of climbing our fingertips were a little raw, but we couldn’t wait for the sun to make it’s way around again.
The lines were proud, burly and rounded, and there were many of them. The most classic problem that we did was the arête called, Mortal Combat. Now I like highball boulder problems, but when there a massive pit below that you could fall into, it adds a little bit of a thrill.
We padded the landing and started working the problem. I popped off on my first go, not really trusting the foot to go to the top. After getting psyched I finally committed to the top out, and somehow made it. So psyched! What a rush!
So many other problems were climbed and tried before we headed North after 3 days. The skin on my hands was raw, but the rain was coming in, and you know how that goes… a rest day would have to wait. Our first day in Chattanooga we headed to this area called Little Rock City near Soddy Daisy, TN. I’d heard mixed reviews of this place, but couldn’t believe how insanely stacked this place was. Endless mega problems on all boulders, on some of the best rock I have ever touched. We got after it, mostly falling on the final moves of the classic slab problem called Space. This problem is 20 feet, with no holds… you climb a blunt arête, squeezing your way up and finally slapping to the top. Unreal!
Today it’s raining as I’m watching boats on the Tennessee river flow by… waiting for the skin to heal and for the rock to dry. This coffee isn’t helping. HA!
Climb on!
Eric
Nick Duttle climbs The Bleeding 5.14b, Mill Creek, Moab
Posted: June 23, 2011 Filed under: Athlete, Climbing, Published, Stories Leave a comment »
To read more about Nick Duttle and his sending rampage across the country this spring, click on this link to read a write up by Alison Osius - Rock and Ice News about Nick Duttle.
I met Nick years ago at trade shows in the Salt Lake area and a few years back at a farm in Moab. I rode over to see some friends and saw that Nick was living in Moab… crushing every route at Mill Creek and truly loving the place, the environment and the desert. When he came out to send The Bleeding 5.14b up at Mill Creek he gave me a ring to meet up. On that day, I rigged the rope and headed over the cliff to see that he was already down there. He told me that their car wouldn’t start, so they push started it to get to the crag. That’s a warm up.
The history I’ve been told about The Bleeding, one of the hardest if not the hardest established route in the area is that it was originally bolted by a legendary rock climber named Tom Gilge. The first ascent was by one of the most talented desert rock climbers, Noah Bigwood ( I believe calling it .13d ). This steep line heads up an incredible overhanging prow of dakota sandstone, with just enough to link it up… if you’re really strong! Nick had been working the route for a bit, and this day was the day he could tick it off. The guy is so fluid, solid and never looks weak, not even through the crux. Move by move, locking off, dead pointing through the crux and clipping the anchor. This is the year he turned 30 and the year of linking it all up. Awesome Nick! Keep sending.
Gift of Life
Posted: June 22, 2011 Filed under: Photography, Stories, Wedding Leave a comment »I was on my way out of town, heading north toward the Potash Rd to get some photos of the Colorado at it’s flood stage. While driving I looked up at a streelight and could see a bird poised… this bird was not a pigeon. This larger bird happened to be a red tail hawk. I quickly stopped, flipped the car around and hoped to get back in time to see him before he took off. I grabbed my camera, quickly switched out the for a long lens. It appeared that he was resting on his wing, or had a chick near. I couldn’t tell until he stretched his wings out… that he was missing a leg. It was strange to see this magnificent predatory bird injured. Was he snared, blown off from a transformer, shot at?… a sad sight. I’m sure he was up there, trying to figure out how to survive, catch it’s next meal and continue to live. I have no doubt this hawk was in pain. Just then, a tourist, jumped out of the car and lingered around long enough to disturb the hawks bubble. He launched with his one leg and flew off toward the sandstone walls, and soon disappeared into the red desert. I continued to my original destination up on the Portal Trail to see the great glowing walls just inside the river corridor. I’m sure the red tail was on the other side soaring as the sun set.
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ISO 100 1/640 sec at f/6.3
ISO 100 1/640 sec at F/6.3
ISO 100 1/640 sec at f/6.3
ISO 100 1/640 sec at f/6.3
ISO 100 1/640 sec at f/6.3
When I head out to shoot, I keep my options open, go to an area that looks good… because it won’t look like that for only a few moments. Take time with the subject, whether it be light a person or an incredible red tailed hawk. Have patience and it will all line up. Absorb your surroundings.
Katie Brown and Prana
Posted: April 28, 2011 Filed under: Athlete, Climbing, Stories Leave a comment »
Katie Brown is one of the most well known female rock climbers or all time. She’s been on the rocks most of her life and has traveled to many exotic places, the ones we all dream of. When Katie was living in Moab a few years back, I had the chance to shoot some photos with her, while just as winter was fading. In her recent blog post on the Prana website she used a photo from one of those cold winter days.
Click this link to read Katie’s story on the Prana Blog and see the photo.
Professional Rock Climber Liv Sansoz in Las Vegas
Posted: April 28, 2011 Filed under: Athlete, Climbing, Photography, Stories Leave a comment »
Liv Sansoz… when I picture her, I think of images by Jim Thornburg of her climbing at Mt. Charleston on some super gnarly pocketed 5.14. Liv happens to be an incredibly talented french rock climber who has been on top of the game for many years. This past March I was hired as the event photographer for the Mountain Gear, Red Rock Rendezvous. This event has been a part of my spring for 8 years now, one of the best event going.
While I was running around, trying to see and meet everyone, I had the chance to officially meet Liv at a crag she was guiding on. We chatted for a while, met her guests, who were having the best time… learning how to climb and rappel.
Take a look at Liv’s blog… see some of my photos from the Mountain Gear Red Rock Rendezvous with Liv, and check out more of her posts.
Click here to read Liv’s blog and see photos from the 2011 Rendezvous
Climb on!
Wabisabi Fashion Show – Annie Dalton
Posted: March 25, 2011 Filed under: Uncategorized Leave a comment »I had the chance to shoot photos of the Wabisabi fashion show which happened in March. Designer Annie Dalton has added some shots to her blog and written how her creative process works.
Take a look.
http://korakus.wordpress.com/
Each year, Wabisabi collaborates with artists and designers from Moab to create incredible pieces all from recycled material. This was my first time to the event which was held south of town at the Spanish Valley Arena. An intricate light show took place as music blasted from the speakers. The house was packed and people were dressed up with the alien theme in mind. Glow sticks were being whipped around by the dark crowd as the lit stage showed off the work of many designers. A great time was had by all. The fashion show is the biggest Moab event, bringing people out from the cold winter, bringing great energy to town just in time for spring.
