# TR: Cameron Pass



## killclimbz (Aug 10, 2007)

Where: Cameron Pass
Date: October 27-28 2012
Conditions: AWESOME!

Man I have been jealous of areas West of me. Tahoe gets nearly five feet, the PNW has gotten their fair share, then Powder Mountain gets over 40". The spots near me maybe got 8" out of this storm cycle. Dust on rocks. I then caught a post about Cameron Pass above Fort Collins getting around 20". They got the lion's share of the previous system too. We loaded up on Saturday and went and hit it. Snowing fairly hard all day and the conditions were excellent. I went back for seconds with another buddy on Sunday and it was nuking the whole time we were there. Not sure how long it lasted. The roads were wet when we drove up and they were very heavily snow packed on the way home. I think it's probably pretty good up there today. Here are the pics from the weekend. Enjoy. 

















































































Cont...


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## killclimbz (Aug 10, 2007)

I think I'll go back for thirds...


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## linvillegorge (Jul 6, 2009)

Very nice. Glad it was worth it, because damn that drive sucks.


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## Kilgore Trout (Aug 22, 2012)

Looks like fun! 

However, the two planked snowboard you are riding is confusing to me...


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## brownSnow (Jan 7, 2009)

how high a hike was that approx? great to see u guys getting it so early in the season (hope it's coming our way soon)


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## killclimbz (Aug 10, 2007)

Yeah sorry about the wanker planker pics. I'm the one rocking the DSLR and everyone I was with were rocking skis. Hence the ski pics. I do have some POV footy that I need to edit. Hopefully I'll get a chance to do it by the end of the week. 

The hike in according to the guide book is about 2 miles. Which seems correct. The vertical climbed isn't huge. Maybe 1400 vertical feet? The peak elevation is just over 11,700ft. We got to our first drop in under 2 hours. In mid season shape, it probably takes just over an hour to get to the top of South Diamond. 

This biggest problem with the area is avalanche danger. It's pretty serious in that area. Right now the snow hasn't slabbed up, so the risk of it propagating is pretty low. In a few weeks, it's probably going to be fairly suicidal to be up on the Diamond. Generally speaking it's early season and late season only on that Peak. It's taken quite a few lives over the years.


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## killclimbz (Aug 10, 2007)

It's just different, not better or worse than anywhere else. When the alpine stuff is off limits, there is other stuff to do that more than makes up for that loss. Timing is everything as usual.


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## ShredLife (Feb 6, 2010)

dude if you're lugging a dslr into the BC for those shots you should really really consider looking at some of the new csc cameras - sony nex series and the olympus em5. aps-c sensors on the sonys, the olympus is weather sealed, they all use interchangable lenses, you can use your canon or nikon glass - or your old leica if you have that kind of stuff, and they will fit in your pocket with a pancake lens on. 

i believe these cameras are the future for backcountry...


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## linvillegorge (Jul 6, 2009)

I really looked hard at those Sony NEX cameras last year when I bought a new camera, but the I'm just not big enough into photography to benefit from that type of camera, nor do I want to spend the money on additional lenses and lug them around.

I ended up going with this:

Sony Cyber-shot HX100V Preview - Best Superzoom camera yet?

Does everything that I need it to do and more. I have enough hobbies (read: money pits) already without adding DSLR photography to the list.


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## killclimbz (Aug 10, 2007)

ShredLife said:


> dude if you're lugging a dslr into the BC for those shots you should really really consider looking at some of the new csc cameras - sony nex series and the olympus em5. aps-c sensors on the sonys, the olympus is weather sealed, they all use interchangable lenses, you can use your canon or nikon glass - or your old leica if you have that kind of stuff, and they will fit in your pocket with a pancake lens on.
> 
> i believe these cameras are the future for backcountry...


I've looked into them. I do like the super high frame rates. 18fps for most of them? That is ridiculous. The biggest problem is they do not have an optical view finder. Makes them great for shooting scenery and such. Action? Not nearly as good. I'll stick with the DSLR.


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## ShredLife (Feb 6, 2010)

that looks like a great little camera, if a little large in the body compared to other fixed-lenses. crazy zoom on that bitch... use the panoramic sweep on it yet? i was stoked with that on my nex. 

for me i like using interchangeable lenses - get to use a fisheye and a 300mm zoom on the same camera, super fast 1.2s, leica someday, & get to use primes! and i already have a significant investment into canon glass so being able to use them on the nex with an adapter was a selling point for me also...

biggest thing for me was this: you'll only take shots with the camera you have WITH YOU and the dslr with L series glass is just a ridiculous amount of weight to add to a bc pack and i hate the lag on my point and shoots (they're not as nice as linville's tho) for action shots


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## killclimbz (Aug 10, 2007)

I use a chesty. So it's right in front of me. Yes, there is a weight and size disadvantage but it is not in my pack. I can bust it out quickly, get the shots, through it back in and go. I am surprised by how little having it on my chest bothers me. 

I have to agree that the NEX camera's are great and you should get plenty of great shots with one. I may purchase one in the future, though the wife will probably kill me. I don't have any super crazy glass. A decent Telephoto and a wide angle that came with the camera kit.


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## ShredLife (Feb 6, 2010)

killclimbz said:


> I've looked into them. I do like the super high frame rates. 18fps for most of them? That is ridiculous. The biggest problem is they do not have an optical view finder. Makes them great for shooting scenery and such. Action? Not nearly as good. I'll stick with the DSLR.


mine goes up to 10fps - i haven't heard of 18 yet, and although that would be so fast it'd be a pain in the ass deleting all the shit you didn't need it wouldn't surprise me to see someone has it. 

with no mirror looking thru the lens optical vfs aren't possible with this tech. they use electronic view finders. i made sure to spring for the nex7 with the evf built in. no, its not an optical vf - but it does very well in snow. olympus em5 also has evf.

it is worth the weight savings alone to give these cameras a serious look, imo, even if you don't end up seeing one that is right for you, yet.


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## linvillegorge (Jul 6, 2009)

The sweep panorama was one of the key features that led me to going with that camera.

I've loved it so far. I've had it for a little over a year. My parents bought it for me prior to our honeymoon in Kauai last year. We just got back from another trip from Kauai recently. I haven't started going through that batch of pics yet.


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## ShredLife (Feb 6, 2010)

i can carry the nex with a 16mm prime (+ fisheye or wideangle adapter) or the 18-55mm 2.8 in a lowepro lens case on the belt of my pack


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## killclimbz (Aug 10, 2007)

Dude, 10fps is absolutely firing. My D5100 shoots at 4fps and I get way too many photos. I shot over 500 frames on these two days. At 10fps, I would certainly be over 1k. Of course it's better to over shoot than miss the shot. You can always delete. It's a problem I am glad to deal with. 

I've tried the electronic view finder thing an it sucks. I need some sort of optical view for framing the shot when shooting action is all. 

One thing is for sure. Get the camera you are going to use. I do like those cameras and they certainly can work very well for what you are doing. Don't get me wrong. I'm just a crusty old fucker is all...


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## ShredLife (Feb 6, 2010)

yea, no 10 fps is ridiculous. i've been shooting some skateboarding lately - i don't think i was in enough light to push the camera all the way to 10 fps, i think i was closer to 6 but it was still totally enough to catch everything i wanted and more. 

the evf sucks, i get it - it does compared to a optical. i do think sony has the best evf out right now tho, there is a sweet manual focus assist feature where it zooms in something like 4 or 10 times when you touch the focus ring so you can make your focus adjustments under magnification - really adds to the precision of the focus....evf just takes some getting used to, and dropping several pounds is worth it for me.

just keep an eye on these style of cameras. they're going to get better and better, the glass is cheaper than dslr and getting better and better as far as quality. evfs will keep getting better, etc.


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## killclimbz (Aug 10, 2007)

I agree that the new breed is pretty enticing. I'll probably pick on up in the next year or two. The small size is attractive and there are some days when I would rather not have the DSLR too. Super nice cameras no doubt.


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## Ale_Capone (Aug 26, 2007)

Nice!!

looks like some great snow.

hopefully you have a good year with a favorable snow pack and stability.

is that steve with the heavy duty green bay fan thing going? is he wearing the green and yellow boots too?


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## killclimbz (Aug 10, 2007)

Yes that is Steve rocking the Pack look. I don't think his boots are that color but to be honest I wasn't paying attention being blinded by his outfit.


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