This latest find from my collected box of 35mm slides is a breath taking one. It’s a truly dramatic shot, capturing a hiking or trekking group making their way up a steep, rocky, scrub-covered slope towards a towering, snow-capped mountain and a visible glacier. The sheer scale and rugged beauty immediately make it one of the most compelling photos in the collection.
The image is so rich in detail that I'm hoping we can use it to pinpoint its location and perhaps even the date it was taken. Let’s do some photographic detective work!
Clues to the Location: Where in the World?
The geography is the biggest clue here. This isn't just any mountain; it possesses specific characteristics:
High Altitude Environment: The presence of a large, accessible glacier and the rocky, barren terrain indicates a very high elevation, likely above the treeline.
Vegetation: The foreground is covered in tussock grasses and low, tough scrub. This type of vegetation is often characteristic of alpine tundra or páramo environments.
Mountain Structure: The peak itself is intensely craggy and heavily glaciated, suggesting a geologically young and very high mountain range. The style of glaciation (steep ice faces, deep crevasses) is notable.
Trekking Style: The people visible are carrying significant backpacks and seem to be on a well-established, though rocky, trail. This looks like a multi-day high-altitude trek.
Based on these factors, my strongest initial suspicion leans toward the South American Andes, specifically in areas known for dramatic glacial peaks and trekking, such as Peru (like the Cordillera Blanca) or Bolivia. The intense light, the nature of the rock, and the type of scrub feel very Andean.
Clues to the Date: A Vintage Vibe
Dating the slide requires looking at the gear and the photographic style:
The Look of the Film: The image exhibits a high-contrast, slightly grainy quality with a distinctive colour palette—particularly the rich, almost overly saturated golden-browns and olive-greens in the foreground foliage. This is highly suggestive of Ektachrome or a similar film stock from the 1970s or early 1980s.
The Gear: Take a close look at the trekkers' backpacks. They appear to be external frame or early internal frame packs, which were popular from the 1970s through the 1990s. The colours (greens, reds) and materials look "vintage" compared to modern synthetic, sleek packs.
Clothing: The visible clothing is bulky and layered, but not necessarily modern technical wear. There's a look of heavy, possibly wool or thick canvas materials.
Combining the film characteristics and the gear suggests this photo was most likely taken sometime in the late 1970s or early 1980s.
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