Jeff Shapiro writes:

Tough day for me today. Dustin Martin and I hiked for 4 hours to a
beautiful spot to launch from in good position to make use of a good forecast.
We launched under forming clouds and I got to share climbs with vultures before
heading toward turn point 3.

With cloud base just below peak height, I kept finding myself a little low at
each pass and, as unlikely as it seemed, got flushed out a bowl and before I
knew it, was on the ground. Huntley Badger was right there and helped me find
another launch, which I ran and hiked to as fast as I could.

Dustin was in the air and reported good climbs which turned out to be exactly
what I found. I climbed to cloudbase and headed out under big, dark clouds.

Turn point 3 was deep in the mountains and was engulfed in clouds but it looked
like I might be able to get it and then head back out toward turn point 4. I
landed high on a grassy pass that I couldn’t get over, ran up several hundred
meters and relaunched. I was able to ridge soar to about 50’ over a notch and
dove through it into the next cirque.

The picture above is that high basin. I landed super high on the slopes thinking
I could perhaps walk to a ridge line and re launch but, after looking at my
maps, discovered that I’d be in a worse hole than I was. The basin was totally
in shade and I had scratched around for lift, hugging the slopes and rock walls
trying to use any lift I could find to no avail. So, I ran down 80 meters or so,
to a bench and relaunched.

When I flew out toward the mouth of the canyon, it was a LONG way out over
nothing but trees so I stacked it on a knob right by a refugio and a high,
alpine hiking trail.

At first, I was a bit frustrated. Ok, maybe a bit pissed off. But, I stopped and
looked around and remembered why I’m here.

I didn’t get super far today but I tried and worked really hard. I’m making
progress (albeit not much today) in one of the most beautiful and awe inspiring
mountain ranges in the world. And, after four flights and some monumental hikes,
I ended up in one of the most epic, green, high mountain hanging valleys I’ve
ever experienced! There are water falls everywhere and although my heel is still
black and blue, I feel healthy and totally stoked. his is indeed a Hell of an
adventure. Sometimes perspective is all it takes to remember how incredibly
lucky I am to be here.

Huge thanks today to Dustin and Huntley. You guys are solid friends.

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