| Neptune, Cronus, Rhea Below is a description of the photograph you were looking for, and the circumstances surrounding the photo. Photographer: Stephen Skog Technical: Canon Rebel G w/ Velvia 50 slide film and 70-300mm lens @ full zoom (I think); Epson scan, Photoshop edit. Technical: Canon Rebel G w/ Velvia 50 slide film and 70-300mm lens @ full zoom (I think); Epson scan, Photoshop edit. Caption: Neptune Peak from the northwest with minor summits Rhea (far l) and Cronus (far r). The head of Bigmouth Creek lies below. Story: Highest summit of the Windies, Neptune was first climbed by Alex Faberge et al. in August 1950 from the northeast via hidden south slopes. They made first ascents of Cronus - 3076 m - and Rhea - 2939 m - also on this trip - both by their southwest (righthand) ridges. Neptune's striking Northwest Buttress (230 m 45 deg. AD+ 5.8 - climbed from the west by a large ACC party in July 2002) drops diagonally to right in middle of photo becoming the long west ridge. The North Face, East Ridge route (60 deg. AD+ 5.7 - H. Microys, Brian Webster and Michael Rosenberger, August 2002) ascends heavily-crevassed Rhea Glacier to the left beneath this buttress and climbs 350 m of ice to 60 degrees to gain the East (left skyline) Ridge. The SW Face (200 m 45 deg. PD 4th - Fred Thiessen and party, August 1989) skirts west around the already mentioned west ridge to gain the large icefield on the right (Escarpment Glacier), climbing moderate snow and ice to the Neptune-Cronus Col with final snow and rock to summit. Seen in foreground is a section of a long rock arete running southwest from an unnamed 2945 m sub-peak of Northeast Mountain. To see the actual photo you must be a Paid Member |