Scott Holcomb's photos with the keyword: Great Rift Valley

As an adventure traveler, I usually headed for the highlands and looked to the summit. This image was shot from a Yashica ELECTRO 35CC camera, scanned by an HP Scanjet G4050 and digitally rendered in Photoshop.

At the top of the Malawi's Mt. Mulanje massif's highest point, Sapitwa Peak, 3,002 meters, is a unique cave. If the earliest humans in this area worshiped "Mother Mulanje" this was certainly the exit from the womb where humanity was born--the symbolism is startlingly obvious! These two images were shot from a Yashica ELECTRO 35CC camera, scanned by an HP Scanjet G4050 and were collated and digitally rendered in Photoshop.

Located within the Great Rift Valley on the Malawi border with Moçambique is the highest area in southern Africa. Mount Mulanje is an enormous (25km diameter) granite massif with a dozen peaks, the highest reaching approximately 3,000m+ (Sapitwa Peak shown in the background). This is a view from the southeast quadrant of the massif. An image from a 35mm transparency shot from a Yashica ELECTRO 35CC camera, scanned by an HP Scanjet G4050 and digitally rendered with Photoshop.

The 'payment' for a tough ascent (with 10 day's supplies in my backpack). This image came from two 35mm transparencies shot from a Yashica ELECTRO 35CC camera, scanned by an HP Scanjet G4050, merged together and restored using multiple Photoshop operations.

I ended up scaling a number of the peaks within the Mulanje massif. Although I have no technical expertise in rock climbing I excelled in scrambling to the summits of Mulanje's granite domes. Pictured is Namasile Peak, 2,687 meters, shot from the summit of Matambale Peak. An image from a 35mm transparency shot from a Yashica ELECTRO 35CC camera, scanned by an HP Scanjet G4050 and digitally rendered with Photoshop.

Pictured is Matambale Peak, 2642 meters, one of a dozen major Mulanje granite domes, a wonderful day's climb rewarded by 200km vistas of the Great Rift Valley below. An image from a 35mm transparency shot from a Yashica ELECTRO 35CC camera, scanned by an HP Scanjet G4050 and digitally rendered with Photoshop.

Far above the dense forest, chaparral and grasslands of Mt. Kenya is a 4,000m+ valley, a perfect location to set up base camp for an ascent to Point Lenana, the highest accessible point without rock climbing expertise. As the sun sets the temperature immediately plunges below freezing in spite of its equatorial latitude. This image came from two 35mm negatives shot from a Yashica ELECTRO 35CC camera, scanned by an HP Scanjet G4050, merged and restored using multiple Photoshop operations.

When ascending a mountain such as Mt Kenya one passes through numerous distinct ecological and climatic zones. It seems that for every 250-300 meters rise in altitude one enters a new zone. Pictured here at well over 4,000m altitude is the East African Montane Moorland Zone characterized by sparse scrub brush and tufts of hardy grass with primitive-looking Lobelia and Giant Groundsel. The temperature swings are extreme, ranging from 25ºC or higher during the daytime to -5ºC at night. This is not what one might expect directly on the equator--but, of course, the altitude determines the climate. This image came from a 35mm negative shot from a Yashica ELECTRO 35CC camera, scanned by an HP Scanjet G4050 and restored using multiple Photoshop operations.

The tropical glaciers of Mt. Kenya are impressive. In the more that 35 years that have passed since this photo was taken I suspect the ice has receded significantly. This image came from a 35mm negative shot from a Yashica ELECTRO 35CC camera, scanned by an HP Scanjet G4050 and restored using multiple Photoshop operations.

A memorable sign on the outside wall of the Hotel Heart. I left my heart in the Hotel Heart in Nkhata Bay, Malawi. Simple and friendly, they allowed me to pitch my tent on their grounds for US$0.25 a day. This image came from Kodak 135 negative shot from a Yashica ELECTRO 35CC, scanned by an HP Scanjet 5470c and restored by multiple Photoshop operations.

A 20 minute stroll south of the village led to a tranquil beach where a person could lose oneself in a dreamy serenity. This image came from Kodak 135 negative shot from a Yashica ELECTRO 35CC, scanned by an HP Scanjet 5470c and restored by multiple Photoshop operations.