India, Himalayas 1997
Kurtis Croy , Brad McGregor, Dave Basterrechea, Derek Heidt , Brian Savard, Adam Hosetter
These are the four riders in this photograph that’s a brand new Bell 407 Heli. I was taking the photograph Brad McGregor was shooting 16 mm and that helicopter is 2 months old from the Bell factory, this thing operated like a Ferrari, so our pilot said. $1.2 million machine and they had 2 of them. To fly in altitudes like this is not easy and the Swiss pilot we had was one of the most incredible humans I’ve ever met. At the LZ after he slowly settled into it for what seemed a very long time we were buried in snow. He was concerned if he congrats even set it down properly. When we tried to exit, we couldn’t even open the doors to the helicopter. We had to force them open. We couldn’t see out of the windows taking five steps was hard. We were breathing heavily and having pulmonary edema kicking in. After that, we dug that machine out as much as we could, and as much as he felt he could to fly away.. exhausted we started to flounder with deciding how to shoot what we were going to shoot who is gonna go first etc. and our guide was like you got a drop elevation now we need to drop 1000 feet because things are getting crazy here this is pulmonary edema. The loss of ability to make decisions properly.
The journey alone was something else, winding roads, small villages, and a culture that stays with you.
A landslide blocked access to the lodge we were supposed to reach. Nothing out there comes easy.
On our first day, we learned a local guide had passed away the day before. I never knew his name… and that’s something I still think about.
We kept going.
Three more days riding terrain that felt endless.
This shot,around 17,000 feet, beside a massive glacier.
A 3000-meter descent from top to bottom.
One of the greatest moments,and images,I’ve ever been part of.
Kurtis Croy
35 mm Fuji Velvia 50 positive slide film in the heart of the Himalayas flying out of the Manali region.
@cinemcgregor @derekheidt @dvdbas @cheetah_snow Brian Savard and Adam Hostetter I don’t have handles for ya, what a trip!
