Sierra Challenge 2017 Videos

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Turtleggjp
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Sierra Challenge 2017 Videos

Post by Turtleggjp »

I've been posting links to these videos over on our Facebook group, but I figured I would go ahead and post them here too.

Day 1: Third Recess Peak
https://vimeo.com/album/4738870/video/230175677

Day 2: Bearpaw Peak
https://vimeo.com/album/4738870/video/230472022

Day 3: Four Gables
https://vimeo.com/album/4738870/video/230602279

I hurt my back on Day 3 during the descent, and I was very stiff the next morning. Instead, I took a rest day and went with the fishing group.

Day 4: South Lake Fishing
https://vimeo.com/album/4738870/video/230691774

I was feeling a little better that evening, and hoped I could continue with the more difficult hikes on Day 5. I was feeling pretty good that morning, and headed off with a group to Middle Palisade. I'll be uploading that video early next week when my Vimeo quota resets.

Matt
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Vaca Russ
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Re: Sierra Challenge 2017 Videos

Post by Vaca Russ »

Matt,

These are absolutely EXCELLENT videos! I have got to get a video camera! :nod: :nod:

I wish all of the readers who view the "Backpacking" forum could see these videos.

Thanks for posting!

-Russ
"...Or have you only comfort, and the lust for comfort, that stealthy thing that enters the house a guest, and then becomes a host and then a master?"

Kahil Gibran.
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Re: Sierra Challenge 2017 Videos

Post by Shawn »

What Russ said. Terrific videos and narration. I really liked the line in the first video about "using maximum zoom to get Bob coming at me". :)
Very few people could make that claim!

Thanks for posting them here.
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Re: Sierra Challenge 2017 Videos

Post by ksenn »

Awesome! Thanks for letting me live vicariously through these videos!
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Re: Sierra Challenge 2017 Videos

Post by Turtleggjp »

Russ,

This is the one I'm currently using:
http://shop.panasonic.com/cameras-and-c ... V770K.html

It's pretty small, but shoots great video (1080p60 @ 50Mbps) and has a very nice zoom (20x optical). I was hoping to get a Panasonic GH5 to consolidate my cameras (video and still) into one, but as the saying goes "jack of all trades, master of none." I was told that the lenses for the GH5 (and similar cameras) are not capable of holding focus while zooming, so all of those cool shots where I zoom in on something distant, and then pull back to see how far away it is (reveal shots?) would not have been possible.

As for everyone in the Backpacking forum, should I just post a link to this thread over there? I know that sometimes "cross posting" like that is frowned upon, but I'd certainly be willing to do it if it's OK. I figured this was more along the lines of "peak bagging" and not "backpacking" which is why I started the thread here.

I'm glad if the narration works good for you. I've mainly made these videos as my way of documenting my hiking trips (in place of a written journal), and I've often wondered how appealing they would be to others. Especially when it comes to hearing my voice for so long. I also don't usually bother with any kind of fancy editing, just string the video clips together (which was a little trickier with this new camera). I'm glad if you guys are enjoying them. There are lots more to come. Meanwhile, you can find all my videos from last year's Sierra Challenge here:

https://vimeo.com/album/4144693

Matt
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Re: Sierra Challenge 2017 Videos

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Day 5 is up:

https://vimeo.com/album/4738870/video/231543540

For those that didn't see the Facebook post, I'll retype this here:

So here's the story of what went down at the end:
As we were approaching the junction with the North Fork trail, Mason spotted someone he thought was a Challenge participant. He then came up behind me (I was in the lead of our group) and said, "head this guy off at the pass." I didn't know what guy he was talking about, so I turned around and saw this tall guy in a white shirt and a big hat coming up behind us. "No way, it's Bob!" I thought to myself. I picked up the pace a little bit to try and catch everyone on video coming across the bridge over the North Fork of Big Pine Creek. As I stopped, Mason went on ahead of me at a light jog, as did Iris and Michael. Scott was apparently not interested in running, and this allowed Bob to sneak up behind him and make all sorts of funny gestures behind his back (all caught on video). Just after passing me, he suddenly noticed Bob behind him, and with a "No way Bob!" took off running. Bob then started running too, as did I, and the race was on. We passed two other people on the trail, which apparently Scott almost knocked over, and then Bob slowed to a walk after catching up to Michael. I slipped past the two of them, and hustled the remaining distance to the trailhead in time to catch the others slumped over the gate, exhausted. I think it was only then that some of them realized that they were running away from Bob and not some other random person. It was a hilarious finish to an otherwise awesome day!
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Re: Sierra Challenge 2017 Videos

Post by Shawn »

Hey Matt, your videos just keep getting better. I really enjoyed sitting back and watching the full thirty minutes (or so) of the last one. Must have some of the best views up the route to Middle Pal.

Two things that are quite amazing to me are 1) the fact you can take all the video and still, somehow, be ahead of most in your group, and 2) how anyone can have enough energy for a full out run to the trail head after day hiking Middle Pal!.


Man, great job. :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
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Re: Sierra Challenge 2017 Videos

Post by Turtleggjp »

Thanks Shawn!

I remember the comment on Bob Burd's Middle Palisade page talking about how most people climbing it have his trip report and Secor's description with them. I tried to shoot as much video as I could that day to hopefully bring some realism to their words (and pictures). As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words, and my videos are 60 pictures per second!

I've managed to get myself about 20 lbs. lighter this summer, which I think really contributes to my ability to keep up with everyone. Still, this helps me keep up, not necessarily go faster than them. I think the main reason I was able to stay ahead so much during the Middle Palisade day was because Bob wasn't with us. He tends to keep a more relentless pace, whereas most of the others I was with on Middle Palisade were happy to take nice leisurely breaks. Even super speedy Scott Barnes was lagging behind that day, having burned himself out on the first four days (which I gave him a ribbing for on the video, as you saw).

The run at the end didn't last more than a couple minutes, and I think it was all adrenaline at that point. We all figured that Bob had been back for hours, and was probably already a few beers into his evening back in Bishop. What a surprise to find him behind us!

I'm glad you guys are enjoying these so much. Day 6 is ready to upload, but I'll have to wait until about the same time next week to post it (my Vimeo quota resets at 9PM Monday night). It's slightly longer than this one, and should be pretty interesting too. Instead of a known route to a popular peak, we got to venture out on an unknown route to an obscure peak. It was another awesome day though. We provide some fun entertainment on the summit too!

Stay tuned!

Matt
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Re: Sierra Challenge 2017 Videos

Post by Vaca Russ »

Great Video! I want to climb Mid Pal! Who wants to go with me?

Where was Gazelle? Maybe she still needs to climb it.

Thanks,

-Russ
"...Or have you only comfort, and the lust for comfort, that stealthy thing that enters the house a guest, and then becomes a host and then a master?"

Kahil Gibran.
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Re: Sierra Challenge 2017 Videos

Post by Turtleggjp »

She went home (as planned) after day 4. She did Mount Humphreys that day, which I also just did last weekend on 8/25 (that video will follow too, eventually).

I highly recommend Middle Palisade, it was a lot of fun! Especially this year, when we had lots of snow to cover most of that nasty looking moraine below the glacier. The loose chute was annoying, but didn't last very long, and the excellent climbing above it more than made up for the unpleasantness.

Matt
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