Mt Roraima April 16-26th 2011

[amphirion]

So, with such intense pressure to get stuff pumping, im going to start off with the panoramas...the thread will be updated with new pics as i am able to process them...

if you would like to see a larger version, please click on the image that you would like to see.

View of Hotel, the Caribbean Sea:


Jasper Creek:


The Grand Sabana:


From Rio Tec, Kukenan Tepui is on the left, Roraima Tepui is on the right/barely visible:


A better view from Roraima's base:


Rio Kukenan:


Kukenan from Roriama View:


The task ahead:



Ascending the ramp:


Almost against the cliffside:


OMG ITS SO HIGH!


A couple of waterfalls in the way:


Finally at the top:


Some views from the top of Roraima:




Stew playing with death:


A very very long drop:


Southern ravine:


The Pit:


The Cathedral:


Last Look before Going Back:

[amphirion]

More scenes from Jasper Creek:


Forgot the name of this location, had Brocchinia hectioides--pretty waterfall.


Brocchinia hectioides, a close relative of B. reducta:


Drosera sp:



have no idea what this is, found near the edge of Kukenan river:


my homies:


a sign....


crossing over the Rio Tec:




mr lizard:


more need IDs



eriocaulon sp:


Brochinnia reducta at the base of the Mt. Roriama:


U. humboldtii:


closeup:


if Roraima had a flag flower, humboldtii would be it:

[amphirion]

D. roraimae:


Community shots:


Stop taking pics of plants...start walking:


Bah....i need a winged pegasus:


made it to basecamp...found U. pubescens:


discussing...err....stuffs....


guess what Brad was trying to do...and yes, that small tent is a portable outhouse---that has no toilet. you use bags...


entering the cloud forest....good stuffs now. leik orchids:


hiking up the ramp:


things are intimidating when you can see the path at eye level--- 1 ft from you.


Lichen species:

[amphirion]

Brochinnia tatei:


some ferns:





tillies:


orchids cont:


mr moth failing horribly at crypsis:


U. campbelliana:


U. amethystina:


U. pubescens:====================================U. quelchii:

[amphirion]

Moar Pics, still in the cloud forest:

This particular clone of quelchii was found in the dead leaf liter axis of Brocchinia tatei. All other specimens of quelchii were growing lithophytically.


Moar orchids:

Masdevallia picturata, exclusively found only on Mt. Roraima:


Do you see what I see?

we affectionately named this plant, the 20 headed red dragon. unfortunately very unphotogenic, unless you have a ridiculous zoom.

little red riding hood:


---Out of the Cloud Forest, Now on the Summit----

U. quelchii, lithophytic:


H. nutans:



I want to make a living wall out of plants from Mt. Roraima:


Smaller Scenic Pics:


Drosera roraimae wants to be an epiphyte too...


regular D. roraimae:

[amphirion]

U. amethystina:


D. hirticalyx:


Didnt expect to find any orchids up here, but here they were:
Pleurothallis sp.



community shots:


crazy rocks:


growing on crystal series:


not carnivorous, but just as stunning:


Misc Plants:

Eriocaulon sp. flower:


Genlisea:


Now the Best, H. glabra. a little background---apparently, Brazil doesnt like the US so much, and ordered that all US Americans obtain visas, regardless of the time stayed. Stew, who managed the trip was unaware of this requirement till we got to the border....H. glabra on Mt. Roraima is only found on the Brazilian side of the mountain...so we had a decision to make: play safe, or go all in. We decided getting shot at was worth being one of the less-than-20-people-to-ever-photograph-H. glabra-in-the-wild. The fog provided great cover...and our mission was accomplished. Altogether, i illegally entered Brazil for about an hour and a half.


H. glabra x nutans, aka H. nutans "giant"

[amphirion]

H. nutans, the "toast of the town specimens"


Brochinnia reducta, a very old specimen:


A mega mat of D. roraimae:


and yet moar orchids:


U. quelchii, orange flower form:


A "half no eye deer"


Mr. catepillar:


Leftover shots:



thanks for taking a look!

[bluemax]

Truly wondrous. Thanks for posting! How come my vacation photos never look like that?

- Mark

[Apoplast]

Beautiful place! I like the pictures of the Utricularia campbelliana, even if it wasn't a macro. Thanks for posting all the pictures. It's probably as close as I'm going to get to visiting the Tepuis for some time. Now I can live vicariously.

[peterhewitt]

Magnificent, thanks for the detailed and very informative report, those U.Humboldtii are huge!

[Randy Zerr]

Spectacular! thanks for the virtual tour.

[andyscoolsn]

Awesome! My finger hurts from scrolling down, its a good sort of pain! Thanks for taking the time to post all the pics.