Wool Filmmaking Dispatch 2

All photographs © Christopher J. Carter 2010.

A Foray Into Community Produced Media

As Summer draws to a close the sheepmen of South Central Montana prepare for Fall. Fields may need to be hayed, breeding groups planned, sheep culled and shipped for sale.

I spent the past week in the Boulder river area at pasture with the Halvorson and Lair families as they sorted, culled and shipped sheep.

Culling is the selling of or separating of animals with undesirable characteristics or health issues . Hundreds of heads of sheep are assessed one by one, sorted into separate holding pens; those who will stay on pasture and those who will be sold(rejected) from the herd.

In both families fathers sons grandsons and grandfathers work side by side. In the heat of a Montana sun the process of culling can take as much as a few days depending on how many head of sheep the family runs.

© Christopher J. Carter 2010.

© Christopher J. Carter 2010.

© Christopher J. Carter 2010.

© Christopher J. Carter 2010.

© Christopher J. Carter 2010.

© Christopher J. Carter 2010.

© Christopher J. Carter 2010.

© Christopher J. Carter 2010.

Off to the Canadian Rockies for some Alpine Climbing. TRs from the Tetons etc. coming soon

Christopher J. Carter

August 22, 2010

Alpinas Maneras

->Filmmaking in the Bolivian Andes with the Montana Mountaineering Association

A short non-fiction film exploring the human experience of international mountaineering.

Shadowing a 2009 expedition the Bolivian Andes with community based non-profit, the Montana Mountaineering Association, this film takes flight with a small team of students and instructors to better understand this cross-cultural experience.

"Alpinas Maneras" from cj carter on Vimeo.

Photography/Direction/Editing - Christopher J. Carter

Assisting Editing- Ned Gall

A 2009 Precipiste Picture

12 min.

Production stills are posted here http://precipistemedia.blogspot.com/2010/05/alpinas-maneras.html

An Overview of the MMA Course

Spanning nearly seven months and two continents, this program offers it all: from first setting crampons to snow and ice to lofty 6000 meter summits, the Mountaineering Continuum will teach you how to move freely and safely through high mountain country and over technical terrain with confidence and sound judgment.

Beginning with an overview of essential skill sets and their application in the rugged Rocky Mountains surrounding Bozeman, this course continually progresses through every facet of mountaineering: including trip planning, equipment selection, winter backcountry travel, hazard evaluation, avalanche education (provided by the Friends of the Center), technical rock and ice climbing as well as myriad protective systems for high-angle terrain.

This program concludes with a mountaineering master’s curriculum as we move our classroom south for an expedition to Bolivia’s Cordillera Real. With a low student to instructor ratio and six months of training to prepare for the expedition, the goal is to complete more technically demanding routes than the normal “walk-ups.”

Previous climbing experience is not required. However, participants should be in good physical condition; and have some backpacking or hiking experience.

Keen on more info?

montanamountaineering.org