We started down here with a plan to drive up the mountains you see reflected in the lake, on an unpaved forest service road, to an infamous hang-gliding drop-off point, on Mount 7 in Golden, Canada.
Views above the tree line on the way up.
The drive up took a couple hours.
Finally reached the summit. Quite a view, even on a cloudy day.
The kinda place where you don’t want to accidentally put your rental car in drive and lurch a few feet forward!
Informative map showing wind directions and where not to land i.e., “Don’t land in the Canadian Pacific switching station.” No s@#% Sherlock! (Click to enlarge and read map).
Memorial to two hang gliders who didn’t make it.
Just a few steps to the drop. Gave me the heebie-jeebies to just walk out on the platform!
It’s a very long way down!
Even on an overcast day, I’m sure it is a beautiful ride!
cindyknoke.com 
You are very brave, Cindy….stunning pics!!!
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the brave ones are the hang-gliders….i just looked where they jumped!!
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WOW! Beautiful photos! I used to be afraid of heights, but now I’m just absolutely in love with it, I would of probably walked to the ledge and gone on my tummy to get shots 😀 why on earth would they build a platform that goes out like that though?
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I’m curious how did you cure your acrophobia? Normally that is a hard one to conquer. Good for you! Getting on my stomach would have been a great idea. I didn’t think of it. It would be less scary and more stable and you are right, it would have been an awesome angle. Too bad you weren’t there!! 🙂
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Crazy enough? I got over it since i started working at the local arena where there’s a catwalk way up high, which was only three feet wide and about 5 inches thick.
After walking along it a few times I got used to it and not long after that I took up photography, been in love with the view i get from that moment on 😀
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perfectly awesome….exposure therapy & distraction and you did it yourself…..exposure walking on the catwalk, distraction taking photos……someone should write it up!
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Thank you for visiting my older posts! ^_^
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great posts so no thanx needed~
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your picture so amazing.. proud with your dare!
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You are kind, but the brave ones are the ones who actually step off the platform and fly!! 🙂
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*Sigh* xXx
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🙂
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Have you ever heard of an old Chinese myth about Hou Yi (the archer) and the Ten Suns?
It was said that there used to be ten suns long time ago. They are the children of the Eastern Golden Emperor.
Everyday, their mother took them to a lake located at the end (or was it “edge”?) of the world. It was said that she bathed the ten suns in its cold, icy water.
As freezing as it is, the lake water could not put off the flame of the suns. As blazing as their heat was, the sun could never dry up the lake.
That was how their mother trained the suns to not dry up the sea – or died in it – when they sank into it every evening (that was how the old Chinese folks explained sunset phenomenon).
Anyway, what I really want to say is that the first photo made me wonder if the lake at the end of the world looks like this. 🙂
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that is truly beautiful! what a wonderful series of images to pass through the ages! i completely fell in love with these reflective lakes in Canada. i found just otherworldly too! beautiful as always my friend~
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Fantastic place. I love the golden mountain ridge far in the background in the 2nd and 3rd picture. These sights are the rewards for the driving efforts.
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so much natural beauty and so empty and undisturbed!
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Heart pounding and heading for the throat!
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Definitely not a sport for me!!
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i got more uneasy with serious heights when i had children and became afraid of them falling
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Great photo’s. The light must have been perfect.
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Thank you! The light was actually awful, a gray overcast day, which is why I didn’t post these sooner…not as crisp as I would like, still had to go with the drop off and views.
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Gorgeous view. Would prefer the view other than by hand glider. 🙂
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yes. hang gliding is definitely something that is not for me. i like to live too much!
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Fantastic views! Wouldn’t fancy the gliding especially if you landed in the wrong place lol but if that’s your thing an awesome ride 🙂
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i was so impressed by this biologist recently who fashioned a motorized hang glider with a air fan (like in the airboats in the everglades) and used it to fly with the condors in the peaks of the Andes!! woo hoo!!!
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You’ve captured the drama and majestic of the landscape.
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you are very kind to say this & it is much appreciated!
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Love it. Although I never overcame my fear of heights, I’ve parachuted and hang-glided a number of times, and always loved it shortly before it was over…ha.
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It’s a surprising fact that many people engage in activities they are actually afraid of as a way to gain mastery over the fear, so good for you!! I am mortified of public speaking and it became a centerpiece of my career……did it all the time for bigger and bigger groups. Never was not nervous before hand…….
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Well, in my case, it didn’t work. I started and ended as fearful as before.
Public speaking never really bothered me, not sure why. I know most dread it. Perhaps I had enough fear of heights to make up for the lack of fear of public speaking…
Great that you turned it into an asset.
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yes. everyone has something they funnel their fear into…..an asset yes, but it still was nerve racking so not fun. cheers to you richard~
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If I were only a few decades younger, that sure looks like it’d be fun.
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eeeeks! not to me. fun to watch and photograph though!!
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stunning views…I don’t have a fear of heights but I do have a motion/balance issue that would make it difficult for me to be there…it is wonderful to see this through your eyes!
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you definitely would not want vertigo on that platform!
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such awesome mountains, spectacular!!
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they are just gorgeous & i am glad you think so too! Merci~
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I used to see a lot of hang gliders flying off the Sandias. The air currents allow the gliders to stay up for really long flights by cruising back and forth on the updrafts coming off the face of the mountains.
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I’ve heard of this but never seen it, in New Mexico right? must be an awesome sight!
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Yes NM. I remember standing on the Crest at 11000 feet about sea level, looking up and seeing hang gliders flying back and forth. I thought they were buzzards at first.
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Oh, the things we do for fun. Beautiful shots and I can feel my knees turn cold.
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no way i’m hang-gliding!!! 🙂
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OK, I expect to see some pictures while you are gliding. 😛
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no way….i might drop my camera!!! ):
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magnifique ces paysages
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merci beau coup!!! 🙂
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No way; not for me. I would have been too scared to even take the pictures you did!
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the step OFF the platform would do me in!
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So you are not asking your family to give you a flight from this point for one of your future BIG birthdays….:D
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Perish the thought!! If they gave me such a gift, I would know they were not happy with me!!!
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Breathtaking! I surely would not be on the platform! Oddly, I fear heights, but not when I climb trees. Maybe because I have something to hold onto? Don’t know. Maybe a bucket list thing to hang glide, maybe. 😀
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oh no! your bucket list is to be filled with things you will enjoy!!!!! 🙂
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Stunning!!!!!
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it definitely was!!
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Wow Cindy the scenery is incredible. Beautiful photography. Why is it that the title of your blog is now reading “No Title?”
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oh gosh! more glitches……i will go see! thanx for telling me!
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I remember being in Golden, oh, about 10 yrs ago and the Northern Lights were on display behind those mountains. It was stunning. Glad to see you are enjoying the journey
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It must be thrilling to see those lights! I haven’t so far~
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it’d be crazy to go hang gliding there. looks amazing 🙂 great pictures!!
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Yes!! I’m with you! Cheers~
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A beautiful ride, I am there. Peace, Ik
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visa versa 2 u x 2 my friend~
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Are you kidding me? Wow!!! … and other than the view, no thanks. {)
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Yep!! I get your angle on this completely!!! lol~
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A beautiful post of amazing views and what looks like an amazing journey, i found that your mirror mountain river looks amazing even when u turn it upside down 🙂
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So kind & how creative!! I will go look at it upside down now! Thanks for the idea~
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what is that slant to the ramp all about!! I couldn’t walk out on that–no way, no way!!–but that slanting ramp is super creepy!!
the pictures are just epically beautiful, Cindy. You cannot take a bad picture, i believe. Truly at the height of your field.
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And so are you my talented one! Yes I had to “screw my courage to the sticking point” to walk out on that platform! The slant may be to push off of when you jump so you go upwards, not downwards!!!
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Awesome!! Such beautiful country.
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isn’t it gorgeous!! thanks ma deah~
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Your photography is magnificent, Cindy!
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Awwww! You are generous to say that and I appreciate it! Cheers to you~
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Love your photos, Cindy. I’ll be visiting your blog again soon for more happy eye treats. 🙂
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So glad look forward to chatting with you~
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The views are stunning! I’d love to go there.
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It was definitely worth the effort!
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That first shot is perfect!
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Thank you, It was a very overcast day so the shots were difficult!
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