By Ted Grussing
I probably spend more time flying around the San Francisco Peaks than any other area I like to go … I love mountain flying and these are the best in the neighborhood. I took this shot on a flight September 28, 2012 and the leaves on the aspen were turning color.
In the foreground from the left you have Humphreys Peak and the ridgeline flows down to the right and according to my friend Rich, on the other side of the notch there is the parking lot for the old Weatherford Road, which eighty years ago and earlier would have been filled with Model T Fords. That would have been one spooky drive! The ridgeline continues to the right and Agassiz Peak is on the far right of the photo and you can see portions of a ski run at Snow Bowl. Above and slightly left of Agassiz, in sunlight is Mt Elden. The inner Basin is to the left of the ridgeline and you can see groves of aspen turning color on the inner ridge sloping down towards Lockett Meadow. To the left of Agassiz I think it is Freemont and Doyle Peaks which are 11, 969’ and 11,460’ respectively. Looks like I was about 13,000’+ and looking to the ESE … Sunset Crater is top left. You can see the chutes that avalanches take down the face of the mountains. I like the color and detail in this shot.
In the clearing just above the photo credit line you will see white debris in the upper left portion of it; this is the wreckage of a B-24 WWII bomber that crashed into the mountain during a night training mission in the very early hours on September 15, 1944 at about the 11,000’ level. All eight crew members perished in the crash.
A very good day today and One had two outings with me this morning … enjoying being out with her … late afternoon I headed up to the airport and had a nice flight around the Verde Valley, a large sugar free vanilla latte from Wildflower Bakery (probably the best lattes in Sedona … thank you Brittany) and then picked a pizza up at Pago’s on the way home and a friend came over for a visit later. Time for a wrap of the day, have a wonderful day and enjoy the beauty that surrounds you … and keep breathing.
Cheers
Ted
May I not forget that poverty and riches are of the spirit.
Though the world know me not, may my thoughts and actions
be such as shall keep me friendly with myself.
— Max Ehrmann
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The easiest way to reach Mr. Grussing is by email: ted@tedgrussing.com
In addition to sales of photographs already taken Ted does special shoots for patrons on request and also does air-to-air photography for those who want photographs of their airplanes in flight. All special photographic sessions are billed on an hourly basis.
Ted also does one-on-one workshops for those interested in learning the techniques he uses. By special arrangement Ted will do one-on-one aerial photography workshops which will include actual photo sessions in the air.
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