Neil Corman Photography

Denver Photographer

Team in Training

Team in Training – Hike | Season Recap

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It has been a busy few weeks after the finale hike for the Team in Training Fall 2009 season.  First off thank you to everyone who helped me reach and exceed my goal of $3000.  There were many of you and I am slowly getting out formal thank you notes as well as a thank you gift to many of you.

For my hike in Rocky Mountain National Park, I hiked Flattop Mountain and Hallets Peak in some changing conditions.  Leaving the trail head at 4:45am we started off in the dark with a group of hikers from the Georgia chapter and were near treeline when the sun emerged.  Initially there was some morning light, but the clouds started rolling into the valleys.  The one thing which was absent this year was the wind, and by the time we got to the peak of Flattop it started to cool down and we were in and out of the clouds.  The group continued onto Hallets and once at the top you could see in the distance a storm starting to brew.  As we started heading down the rocky trail a system moved in and brought some snow to us on the hike down, or maybe it was gropple.  Either way it was with us almost all the way back towards Bear Lake and the conclusion of the Fall 2009 Team in Training – Hike season.

Thanks again to everyone who contributed as 59 hikers participated at RMNP raising around $230,000!  It is not too late to donate, and if you would like to do so let me know.

Why I do Team in Training…

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Earlier this week I heard the news that the son of someone I know lost his ten year battle with leukemia.

Each week prior to hiking we take moment at the trailhead to remind us why we are a part of Team in Training and of course this Saturday prior to hiking Jasper Lake, Kyle will be on our mind and the mission moment.  As others who are hiking know the background I am sure it will set the tone for the day, especially with others in the group who are battling a blood cancer themselves or know someone who is impacted.

While we are all sad hearing the news of Kyle, there is also the positive news we hear and see on the trails of people who have won the battle with a blood cancer.  Some of this is a result of the research and development of new drugs made possible directly from the money raised by Team in Training for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society over the past twenty years.  It is knowing we can make a difference by being a part of this cause which keeps me going and raising money for LLS, and I hope you can help me make a difference.

Unfortunately Kyle is no longer with us but he will be our inspriration for what he battled the past ten years as we work towards our goal for the finale hike, fundraising numbers but more so reaching the ultimate goal where others moving forward will not have to go through what Kyle did the past ten years.

Find out more about my fundraising…

Longs Peak from Trail Ridge Road

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As the rain falls here in Denver, I was looking through some images I took in the past month.  It was just over two weeks ago I headed up to Rocky Mountain National Park and Trail Ridge Road prior to it opening for the season.  As I parked at the Forest Canyon Overlook and started walking up the road I photographed along the way.  The plan was to make it as far as I could for sunset, which ended up being just about to Iceberg Pass.  I was treated to an interesting sunset and started back along the road.  Getting close to the car and about an hour after sunset I noticed the city lights of Denver in the distance and grabbed the following photograph.  The brighter colors in the image are due to the light pollution from the city.

After looking at this image, I decided to make it something which would be available to folks who donate towards my Team in Training fundraising efforts.  At the top level if there is a different image you would like let me know and that can be arranged as well.

Now as it is raining here in Denver, I know at 11,000+ feet at this spot the road is covered once again in snow and closed.

Doudy Draw

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The group hike this past week for the fall season of Team in Training was at Doudy Draw just south of Boulder.  As this was the first hike for the season it is a pretty easy hike, however towards the end we did add in a good short elevation gain for the group bringing a total of over seven miles hiked during the morning.  While hiking I threw my camera over my shoulder and grabbed the following image.

At the lower elevations, the wildflowers are now in their prime.

If you would like to contribute towards my fundraising efforts with Team in Training where I am raising money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society please visit my information page to find out how you may help out.

The First Weekend of TNT – Hike Fall 2009

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So what did the first weekend of the Fall 2009 season of Team in Training – Hike consist of today?  Painting a ceiling in my house.  As the Summer 2009 season is heading out to the Grand Canyon today, this is an off week from hiking due to the overlap of some of the participants on the support staff.  There may be an opportunity to go hiking tomorrow (Sunday) so hopefully the weekend is not lost from the trails.  But on the positive I did get the ceiling primed and possibly painted later today which is something needed to be done for a while now.

Since I will not be on the trails today, I will also take this time to work on fund raising.  So far the response has been good, but I would like to push forward and surprise the Hike Campaign Manager upon her return from the Grand Canyon in the middle of next week.  So what would be a good surprise?  How about being at 50% or more towards the final goal.  That is just $525 from where we are right now.  So visit the Team in Training page I have set-up and see how you can help me reach this goal and what you could receive by helping out with a donation.

Rocky Mountain National Park – Rainbow Curve

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In September 2008 I hiked in Rocky Mountain National Park as part of Hike for Discovery, which is now Team in Training.  Both of these raise money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.   Spending a couple an extra day at Estes Park I headed up towards Bear Lake for the morning but when I realized I was in the clouds decided to change those plans and quickly headed up to Trail Ridge Road.  Just before Rainbow Curve, I broke out of the clouds and was treated with the following scene at sunrise.

Rainbow Curve - Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado
Rainbow Curve – Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

This image is available in the Rocky Mountain National Park gallery and is titled Rainbow Curve.

Hiking in the Rain

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This past weekend was the final hike I will be on for the summer season of the Team in Training – Hike program.  The finale hike for the group is in two weeks and the kickoff for the Fall season is this coming Saturday.  For the hike this past weekend, once again for the fifth weekend in a row the conditions were less than ideal as it had rained overnight and was raining during the start of the hike.  For this hike we were just outside of Boulder and as finale hike is Grand Canyon we started hiking from the top to simulate a trip into the canyon.

Starting along Flagstaff Mountain Road we made our way on the Green Mountain West Ridge trail prior to starting to head down towards Boulder and the main trail heads.  Due to snow in the recent weeks there were quite a few trees which had fallen along the trail making it an interesting day either getting through the trees or dispersing around the downed trees to minimize the trail impact.  Upon reach the parking lots we headed back up towards the top along Gregory Canyon which was in good condition but then it started raining once again.  It was a good hike to end the season, and would like to thank Kelly for the following images since I didn’t have my camera with me on this hike.

The view along the trail while hiking outside of Boulder.
The view along the trail while hiking outside of Boulder.
I am trying to avoid a picture taken by Cristy as documented by Kelly.
I am trying to avoid a picture taken by Cristy as documented by Kelly.

I now start hiking for the Fall season at Rocky Mountain National Park, and will begin the fund raising process.

Team in Training

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Earlier this year I mentioned I am helping on trail support for Team in Training as we raise money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Over the past couple of months we have hit the trails along the front range of Denver to get the participants for the Grand Canyon event ready and over the next few weeks we will be finishing up this season.  It has been interesting with the weather this year since winter along the front range of Colorado has really taken shape in the last four weeks.  During the true season of winter we had minimal snow and more so wind this year.  In the past few weeks I brought my camera along and have the following images to show of the hikes.

Button Rock Preserve (Thanks to Shawn for letting me use her camera)

Apex Park – Jefferson County Open Space

Apex Park Trails - Jefferson County Colorado
Apex Park Trails - Jefferson County Colorado

White Ranch Open Space – This was probably the most fun due to the fact there was three feet of snow.  Fortunately a couple of us had our snowshoes to help with making a trail.

April snowstorm at White Ranch Open Space in Jefferson County
April snowstorm at White Ranch Open Space in Jefferson County
White Ranch Open Space
Hiking at White Ranch Open Space
Didnt take long for Cristy, Kelly, Mary, Mike, Shawn and myself to make this snowman
Didn't take long for Cristy, Kelly, Mary, Mike, Shawn and myself to make this snowman

With this season almost over the next season of Team in Training is being planned and scheduled to kick off on May 9th.  I will be hiking again this summer and doing fundraising this time around.  If you would like to contribute to my efforts you may learn more at the Neil Corman Team in Training page.