An e-mail I just got sort of climbing related.

[Alan Evil]

This is a case of photographer photographs photographer. The following photographs were taken by photographer Hans van de Vorst at the Grand Canyon, Arizona. The descriptions are his own. The identity of the photographer IN the photos is unknown.


I was simply stunned seeing this guy standing on this solitary rock IN the Grand Canyon. The canyon's depth is 900 meters here. The rock on the right is next to the canyon and safe.

Watching this guy on his thong sandals, with a camera and a tripod I asked myself 3 questions:

1. How did he climb that rock?
2. Why not taking that sunset picture on that rock to the right, which is perfectly safe?
3. How will he get back?



This is the point of no return.



After the sun set behind the canyon's horizon he packed his things (having only one hand available) And prepared himself for the jump. This took about 2 minutes. At that point he had the full attention of the crowd.

After that, he jumped on his thong sandals...
The canyon's depth is 900 meters here.

Now you can see that the adjacent rock is higher so he tried to land lower, which is quite steep And tried to use his one hand to grab the rock.



We've come to the end of this little story. Look carefully at the photographer. He has a camera, a tripod and also a plastic bag, all on his shoulder or in his left hand. Only his right hand is available to grab the rock and the weight of his stuff is a problem.

He lands low on this flip flops both his right hand and right foot slips away... At that moment I take this shot.

He pushes his body against the rock. He waits for a few seconds, throws his stuff on the rock, climbs and walks away.

[gonzobeer]

A technique called 'photo dyno' pioneered by none other than Ansel Adams in Yosemite in the 1930's. Actually the inspiration for the 'Jump Traverse' on Devil's Tower. Betcha didn't know that did ya? 8) Where did you come across these?

[TradMike]

There is something like this back by Auxier Ridge that has taken a couple lives. It's easy to jump over to but difficult to jump back off because you have to jump up on the way back.

[Crankmas]

Haystack?

[Wes]

Staged to make it look like more then it is, as there is a nice ledge below him...

[dmw]

to break your ankles on

[TradMike]

Haystack?

It's on the right on your way down to Haystack. If you don't make the jump you pinball down the walls.

[ynot]

It's slopey and slabby there too .Theres a pocket that takes a tricam. It's the top of Auxier Chimney. or sounds like it.

[Day]

Wes, I suspected there was some artful framing going on. Still, looks like a stupid stunt.
Once, coming back from Mountain Film with some friends,we stopped at a scenic overlook. Walking out to the edge, the ledge we were standing on formed a visor that hung out over a deep canyon. It literally jutted out over hundreds of feet of nothing but air. There was a great photographic angle of this spot from off to the side. Mark Wilford said "I'm going to hang from the lip by one hand, get a picture". Now, the sandstone ledge was hugely undercut, and featureless on top. Mark could have easily lowered off, but the mantel back up would have been solid 5.10 at least. While I'd have bet a thousand bucks that Mark could pull it off, I wanted no part of it. I just said "No, I'm going back to the car", turned and left. I couldn't have lived with the thought of him falling to his death while I took fucking pictures.

[Wes]

There is a formation in Hueco called the "German tourist photo route" or something like that. Big, huge roof way off the deck. People walk around to top, hang over, and have someone take a shot