A Morning at the Secret Lake This was shot in the Andes of Southern Argentina just near the border of Chile.I spent several hours of hiking in the dark just so I could get to this spot at sunrise.  All the darkness in the lower half is the shadow of the mountain behind me as the morning sun rose above it.  I was so thirsty from the hike, and had not brought any water with me.  Looking on Google Earth beforehand, I knew there was a lake up here and I could fill up… so I got down on my hands and knees and drank like a horse…  oh boy that was some good fresh water…  You can see my little footprints in the snow there on the left.- Trey RatcliffClick here to read the rest of this post at the Stuck in Customs blog.
The Worst Way to Cross the River After we set up camp in a little wooded area, we headed off to see if we could get to one of the glaciers by sunset.  This is near Cerro Torre, a region that is disputed between Argentina and Chile.  I didn't see much of a dispute while I was there -- no armies or anything.  I did see some wayward Guanacas, but I was not sure which side they were on.I walked along the river until I got to a stopping point, where I got stuck.  I couldn't cross because it was too sketchy, even for me.  So I set up here to prepare for the sunset.  This was shot about two hours prior to the sunset while I was exploring the area.  I'll be sure to edit the other photos soon (ish) and get them up!- Trey RatcliffClick here to read the rest of this post at the Stuck in Customs blog.
A Razor to the Sky As is the case with every day here, I have also included a photo.  This is of the indomitable Fitz Roy at sunrise buried deep in the Andes, in the hinterland between Argentina and Chile.  To get this shot, it was none too easy!  First, I "woke" up after a sleepless night in a two-man tent with Yuri.  It was perhaps the worst night of my life and I've never had a panic attack before, but I honestly felt like I was pretty close.  The smell combined with the pitch black, the snoring, the freezing cold, and the tiny tent was almost more than I could bear!I woke up around 4:30 AM with -7 Celsius temperatures.  It was bitter cold.  I got dressed QUICKLY in the pitch black cold and then headed off with two of my Russian friends to begin scaling the mountain.  They had lights on their hats;  I did not.  I walked between them, trying not to slip on the icy "trail" between the dodging shadows cast by their headlights.  I'll never forget it for the rest of my life.  We ascended 1,500 feet in less than 45 minutes so we could catch the pink rays of sunrise just as they hit the peaks.Last, I have been interviewed about photography and more on the Pro Photo Show.  It's a free podcast that you can listen to if you want to know more about the process or just hear me ramble on about stuff you may or may not find interesting!- Trey RatcliffClick here to read the rest of this post at the Stuck in Customs blog.
Circumnavigating the Lake This is yet another glacier-filled lake in the mountains between Chile & Argentina. I got up pretty high on a short hike to get this shot. I had seen this bright tuft of red leaves and wanted to work it into the final product. We were on the edge of autumn and a few leaves were starting to change colors. Most of the leaves were not in any interesting compositional angles or were impossible to get near! So this one took a bit of a hike to find and set up…- Trey RatcliffClick here to read the rest of this post at the Stuck in Customs blog.
Where the Sky is Torn Asunder The morning sun sprayed orange across the top of Fitz Roy, and I could feel those sharp tips slicing into the cold sky. It was really an unbelievable experience being there at the perfect time; I feel very lucky indeed.- Trey RatcliffClick here to read the rest of this post at the Stuck in Customs blog.

A Morning at the Secret Lake


This was shot in the Andes of Southern Argentina just near the border of Chile.

I spent several hours of hiking in the dark just so I could get to this spot at sunrise. All the darkness in the lower half is the shadow of the mountain behind me as the morning sun rose above it. I was so thirsty from the hike, and had not brought any water with me. Looking on Google Earth beforehand, I knew there was a lake up here and I could fill up… so I got down on my hands and knees and drank like a horse… oh boy that was some good fresh water… You can see my little footprints in the snow there on the left.

- Trey Ratcliff

Click here to read the rest of this post at the Stuck in Customs blog.
Click here to read the rest of this post at the Stuck in Customs blog." href="javascript:openLB(742625004,'',XLarge,'',680,768);">A Morning at the Secret Lake This was shot in the Andes of Southern Argentina just near the border of Chile.I spent several hours of hiking in the dark just so I could get to this spot at sunrise.  All the darkness in the lower half is the shadow of the mountain behind me as the morning sun rose above it.  I was so thirsty from the hike, and had not brought any water with me.  Looking on Google Earth beforehand, I knew there was a lake up here and I could fill up… so I got down on my hands and knees and drank like a horse…  oh boy that was some good fresh water…  You can see my little footprints in the snow there on the left.- Trey RatcliffClick here to read the rest of this post at the Stuck in Customs blog.

A Morning at the Secret Lake


This was shot in the Andes of Southern Argentina just near the border of Chile.

I spent several hours of hiking in the dark just so I could get to this spot at sunrise. All the darkness in the lower half is the shadow of the mountain behind me as the morning sun rose above it. I was so thirsty from the hike, and had not brought any water with me. Looking on Google Earth beforehand, I knew there was a lake up here and I could fill up… so I got down on my hands and knees and drank like a horse… oh boy that was some good fresh water… You can see my little footprints in the snow there on the left.

- Trey Ratcliff

Click here to read the rest of this post at the Stuck in Customs blog.
See photo in original gallery.