My Toes are Still Numb - Kings Canyon National Park, Milky Way
Rarely do you get to see the Milky Way in the US unless you are away from any bit of civilization and light pollution. And rarely do you get a still lake in the High Sierra at night. This particular night I got to hike back in Kings Canyon National Park right next to the Pacific Crest Trail and camped near a placid Charlotte Lake at 10,500 ft with no clouds. Soon after the sun was well down behind the horizon, I got the perfect conditions and began to shoot. I knew this was going to be something special, so it took me over an hour to get this shot thinking that I could blow this up as large as it is in front of you now.
The title of this print “My Toes Are Still Numb” comes from the results of the amount of weight in my backpack at the time of the trip was about 45 lbs (mostly camera support equipment and food) and I had about 10 miles to hike in just one of the days. All the weight crushed the nerves in my feet, so my toes were numb for a few months after the trip. The feeling in them has returned since and I have reduced my pack weight significantly these days, so I don’t go through that anymore.
The print you see on the wall in front* of you is 78 inches wide and 48 inches in height is printed on the highest quality Fuji Flex paper that lends to the greatest detail possible for all the stars in the Milky Way and then enclosed in crystal clear acrylic to protect it from the elements.
Print Pricing:
78” W x 48” H (acrylic) – $6,700.00
58” W x 36” H (aluminum) – $3,400.00
58” W x 36” H (acrylic) – $4,700.00
30” W x 19” H (aluminum) – $1,000.00
30” W x 19” H (acrylic) – $1,500.00
24” W x 15” H (aluminum) – $380.00
12” W x 8” H (aluminum) – $100.00
Highlights from the backpacking trip to get this photo
This was our campground at the west end of Charlotte Lake from that night. This was our 3rd night out on the trail and we had a short hike to Charlotte Lake from the 3rd Kearsarge Lake… Regardless, my feet were killing me. It could have been my pack or the boots I was wearing, or both factored into the pain.
One of the best views in the Sierra on the way to Charlotte Lake – AJ’s two backpacking friends John and Mike were enjoying the view and taking a break.