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Slideshow (475 photos) |
| Adirondacks (map) |
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| Avalanche Gulch (map) |
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The Fire Spire: Colin follows the first pitch, belayed from above by Tom, just before a major storm hit |
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The Fire Spire: Tommy and Colin gearing up at the base of the spire |
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The Fire Spire: Tom leading the first pitch of the spire |
| Beaver Creek (map) |
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The Touareg in use -- early morning at the camp spot in Beaver Creek |
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The Eye of the Needle formation, just right of center |
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Batteries Not Included: Belaying Tommy on P1, enjoying the first sun in days (Copyright © Colin O'Connor) |
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Batteries Not Included: Rappelling through the "eye" of the needle at the top of Batteries Not Included (Copyright © Colin O'Connor) |
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Batteries Not Included: Rappelling through the "eye" of the needle at the top of Batteries Not Included (Copyright © Colin O'Connor) |
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Batteries Not Included: Gearing up at the base of the route |
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Fording the stream to get to the Eye of the Needle formation; very cold |
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Batteries Not Included: Tom leading P1, slightly off route. The "eye" after which the formation is named is visible above him. |
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Batteries Not Included: Colin and Tommy at the belay in front of the "eye" |
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Batteries Not Included: Colin follows P1 of Batteries Not Included; crisp limestone |
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Batteries Not Included: Colin follows P1 of Batteries Not Included; crisp limestone |
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Batteries Not Included: Colin rappels through the "eye" |
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The Eye of the Needle formation |
| Ben Nevis (Scotland) (map) |
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The Ben as seen from the CIC hut (Copyright © Eric Gregory) |
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Climbers gearing up at the CIC hut; Jim is the tall one in the orange top (Copyright © Eric Gregory) |
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On the approach to the CIC hut (Copyright © Eric Gregory) |
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The Ben, as seen from about half way on the approach. Too bad you can't drive up this far. (Copyright © Eric Gregory) |
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The Ben as seeon from the approach (Copyright © Eric Gregory) |
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Gear explosion in our tiny room above a pub in Fort William (Copyright © Eric Gregory) |
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Pretty river on the Ben (Copyright © Eric Gregory) |
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Lots of routes here - the Buachaille Etive Mor (Copyright © Eric Gregory) |
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Lots of routes here - the Buachaille Etive Mor (Copyright © Eric Gregory) |
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Descending the Ben toward the Red Burn area |
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Point Five Gully: Eric in a mess of ropes after topping out |
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Point Five Gully: Standing on the summit plateau after topping out |
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Point Five Gully: A view of Point Five Gully on the approach. The route follows the obvious deep gully on the left. |
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Point Five Gully: Jim on the steep snow fields on the approach to the base of the route. Our ascent was the first for the year, so we were breaking trail. (Copyright © Eric Gregory) |
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Point Five Gully: Leading the first pitch, which was a friable crust over rock (Copyright © Eric Gregory) |
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Point Five Gully: Unknown Italian climbers attempting to pass (Copyright © Eric Gregory) |
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Point Five Gully: Self portrait of Eric, cold and unhappy, but loving life (Copyright © Eric Gregory) |
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Point Five Gully: The final belay before topping out (Copyright © Eric Gregory) |
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Point Five Gully: Breaking through the cornice onto the flat summit plateau (Copyright © Eric Gregory) |
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Point Five Gully: White out on the summit; Jim is the tall person on the right (Copyright © Eric Gregory) |
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Point Five Gully: Eric standing next to the emergency shelter (Copyright © Eric Gregory) |
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Descending off the summit through intermetent white out (Copyright © Eric Gregory) |
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Descending from the col back into the valley (Copyright © Eric Gregory) |
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Descending from the col back into the valley (Copyright © Eric Gregory) |
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Descending from the col back into the valley (Copyright © Eric Gregory) |
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View of the Ben while descending from the summit (Copyright © Eric Gregory) |
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View of the Ben while descending from the summit (Copyright © Eric Gregory) |
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Approaching the CIC hut after the descent; things starting to clear up (Copyright © Eric Gregory) |
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A view of the mountains on the drive up from Glasgow (Copyright © Eric Gregory) |
| Blacktail Butte (map) |
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Inconceivable: Avoiding the snow in the high country, we retreated to Blacktail Butte and climbed a couple routes (Copyright © Colin O'Connor) |
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Inconceivable: Steep, polished limestone at Blacktail Butte (Copyright © Colin O'Connor) |
| Blue Cloud Spires (map) |
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Rocks littering the field near our camp site |
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Our camp spot next to large boulders. Too bad there's ticks. |
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Cows graze nearby our camp site |
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Scoping out the topouts of the routes on Elk Rock (Copyright © Colin O'Connor) |
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Rock hoping around the top of Elk Rock |
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Colin on top of large boulder |
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Awesome views off the back side of Elk Rock |
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Book of Payne: Tommy climbs the excellent corner crack on the Jedi Wall |
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Unknown: Good, well protected climbing at the "top rope area"; at least it's out of the wind. (Copyright © Colin O'Connor) |
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The Road Goes On Forever: Super fun climbing on a freezing cold day (Copyright © Colin O'Connor) |
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The Road Goes On Forever: Super fun climbing on a freezing cold day (Copyright © Colin O'Connor) |
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The Road Goes On Forever: Super fun climbing on a freezing cold day (Copyright © Colin O'Connor) |
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The Road Goes On Forever: Super fun climbing on a freezing cold day (Copyright © Colin O'Connor) |
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The Road Goes On Forever: Super fun climbing on a freezing cold day (Copyright © Colin O'Connor) |
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The Road Goes On Forever: Super fun climbing on a freezing cold day (Copyright © Colin O'Connor) |
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Rat King: Big buckets on steep rock, but piggin' cold (Copyright © Colin O'Connor) |
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Rat King: Big buckets on steep rock, but piggin' cold (Copyright © Colin O'Connor) |
| Chamonix (France) (map) |
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The private climbing gym at the alpine school; an awesome place to spend a snowy afternoon |
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Mike and Laurv in Servoz where we stayed |
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Crappy photo of Mt. Blanc, the only view of the mountain we had during our 2-week trip |
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On our last day, the sky cleared enough for us to see the surrounding peaks |
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The alpinism school in Chamonix |
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The headquarters for all that is alpine |
| Cogne (Italy) (map) |
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We climbed this route despite that it was falling apart around us |
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The busy ski town of Cormeyeur; very pretty, but very busy |
| Coire An Lochain (Scotland) (map) |
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A helicopter lowers a person to the ridge during training exercises |
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Danger sign at the top of the cliff |
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Jet Stream: Eric traversing left to the belay at the top of P1 |
| Columbus (map) |
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Tommy happy out on the range |
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Tommy's new project -- a 10x20 barn |
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Entry way sign welcoming Nona, his wife |
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Colin trying to look all buff and stuff |
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Inside of the Mother Ship |
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Another view inside the Mother Ship |
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Awesome Montana sky |
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Overview of Tommy's compound |
| Devil's Tower (map) |
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Reading the register on the summit. |
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Awesome Devil's Tower |
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Awesome Devil's Tower |
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Awesome Devil's Tower |
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Getting up early to hit the Tower |
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Cool camp setup, perfect because it rained every day for 3 weeks |
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Solar: Leaving the P1 belay and starting up P2 |
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Solar: Excellent corner jamming on P2 |
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Solar: Finally, a break in the jamming |
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Reading the guidebook, scoping out routes (Copyright © Colin O'Connor) |
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Tulgey Wood: At the top of the first pitch (Copyright © Colin O'Connor) |
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El Matador: Climbers on the famous P2 of El Matador. The woman following was barely able to make the stem. |
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El Matador: Climbers on the famous P2 of El Matador. The woman following was barely able to make the stem. |
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Colin at the top of P1 of El Matador. We decided to bail here. |
| Hellgate Gulch (map) |
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Uncomfortably Numb: Tommy sending at Hellgate (Copyright © Colin O'Connor) |
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Aimless wandering through the compact canyon, trying to identify things (Copyright © Colin O'Connor) |
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Weird Science: Colin leads up the awesome wall |
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Weird Science: Colin leads up the awesome wall |
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Weird Science: Colin leads up the awesome wall |
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Weird Science: Colin leads up the awesome wall |
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Weird Science: Colin leads up the awesome wall |
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Melt Down: Not much difference between the 11s and the 9s on this wall (Copyright © Colin O'Connor) |
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Melt Down: Not much difference between the 11s and the 9s on this wall (Copyright © Colin O'Connor) |
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Uncomfortably Numb: Tommy sending at Hellgate (Copyright © Colin O'Connor) |
| Kandersteg (Switzerland) (map) |
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Looking across the valley to ski resort on the sunny side |
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The little town of Kandersteg surrounded by high mountains |
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The little town of Kandersteg surrounded by high mountains |
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The ice flows above Kandersteg - amazing amount and variety |
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Bäretritt: At the base of the fragile pillar |
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Bäretritt: We climbed the rock on the left to avoid breaking the fragile pillar |
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Bäretritt: High on the route, pumped, and looking for a belay |
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Arbonium: Traversing left at the start of P2 |
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Approaching the ice climbs above Kandersteg. The free-standing pillar above him is Rattenpissoir. |
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Arbonium: Belaying on top of P1 |
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Arbonium: Following the steep pillars of P2 |
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Arbonium: Swinging a tool on the final steep pitch |
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Rattenpissoir: Climber works up the amazing free-standing pillar |
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Namenlos: We climbed the first section of this "beginner" route |
| Lost Horse Canyon (map) |
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Chilling out at Observation Point |
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Our camp at Observation Point; it snowed…again |
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Chew Time: Colin follows Chew Time at the left end of the wall |
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Chew Time: Colin follows Chew Time at the left end of the wall |
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Chew Time: Standing below Chew Time |
| Masai Mara (Kenya) (map) |
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Large male lion, somewhat covered in flies |
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Grasshopper |
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Our tent at Kicheche, perhaps the most comfortable place we stayed in Africa |
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Breakfast during the first morning of our safari |
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Male elephant and approaching storm |
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Breakfast at Kicheche; very civilized |
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Wildebeest |
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Warthog |
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Two ostrich |
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Some bird, which type I've forgotten |
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Some bird, which type I've forgotten |
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Some bird, which type I've forgotten |
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Some bird, which type I've forgotten |
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Giraffe |
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Giraffe and baby |
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Resting thompson gazelle |
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Resting leopard |
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Baby elephant |
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Topi |
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Lion |
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Clouds moving over the mara |
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Bat eared fox |
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Jackal |
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Sparring wildebeests |
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Hyena |
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Hyena |
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Jackal |
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Waterbuck |
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Two zebra |
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Zebra |
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Zebra |
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Zebra |
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A troop of baboons |
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Tawny eagle on log |
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Lions feasting on a topi |
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Lions feasting on a topi |
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Lions feasting on a topi |
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Lions feasting on a topi |
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Lions feasting on a topi |
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Lions feasting on a topi |
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Lion |
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Lion |
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Two lions |
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Two hippos in the water |
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Mike prepares breakfast out on the mara |
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Breakfast on safari |
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Portrait of Mike, our guide |
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Some bird, which type I've forgotten |
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Two impala sparring |
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Two impala sparring |
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White rhino |
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Two white rhinos |
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Two white rhinos |
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White rhino mouth |
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White rhino head |
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Lions feasting in a cloud of flies |
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Lion with a full stomach |
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Male lion |
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Male lion |
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Two vultures |
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Some bird, which type I've forgotten |
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Tawny eagle perched on branch |
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Wildebeest with birds |
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Baboon in tree |
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Eland |
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Eland |
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Two vultures |
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Lucie in safari vehicle going into the river |
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Running giraffes |
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Giraffe with drool |
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Approaching storm on the mara |
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Jackal with the hind quarters of a dik dik |
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a herd of elands |
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Ostrich |
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Resting giraffe |
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Some bird, which type I've forgotten |
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Two crown cranes |
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Two crown cranes |
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Hyena |
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Secretary bird |
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Secretary bird with nest material |
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Secretary bird in flight |
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Secretary bird landing in nest |
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Resting buffalo |
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Leopard in tree |
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Leopard in tree |
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Leopard in tree |
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Leopard in tree |
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Leopard in tree |
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Dik dik |
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Lion licking |
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Lion |
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Lion |
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Some bird, which type I've forgotten |
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Lion |
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Lion |
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Some bird, which type I've forgotten |
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Giraffe and two zebra |
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Giraffe and baby giraffe |
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Two waterbucks |
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Sparring zebras |
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Impala |
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Nursing elephant |
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Nursing elephant |
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Elephant |
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Two elephants |
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Mother and baby elephants |
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Elephant |
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Elephant |
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Elephant |
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Male elephant |
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