SCOTT ROGERS extreme photograph...N.G.

Highlining in Koh Yao Noi, Phuket, Thailand

Photograph by Scott Rogers

"Should I grab the stalactite with my hands or turn around on my feet like a real pro?" recalls slackliner-photographer Jared Alden of this moment on an unusual stalactite highline on Koh Yao Noi island in Phuket, Thailand.
Lured by the country's unique limestone, ten slacklining friends spent a month in Thailand establishing new climbing routes and highlines—and partaking of the local culture's fresh, healthy food, world-renowned massages, and friendly scene. "We really got creative with our shenanigans on this trip," says Alden, who lives with his family in Pennsylvania. "We rigged slacklines at the beach, waterlines off piers and cliffs, high waterlines with tourists kayaking below, and even a highline between the masts of a pirate ship."
Getting the Shot
After driving through a jungle, wading through a cave system, and climbing the backside of the cave, two team members lowered themselves 120 feet to the base of this stalactite and secured the line about 300 feet above the water. “One of the main challenges for this line was finding an anchor point on the stalactite that was strong enough to hold the slackline … and also wouldn't drop off the end!” says photographer and slackliner Scott Rogers.
To capture the shot, Rogers hung from a rope adjacent to the highline and used his widest lens to frame both Alden and the cave formations. Rogers had to maneuver around eight other people hanging nearby to get the photo he wanted. But the climate and terrain may have held the biggest challenge. “Thailand was pretty rough on all our gear, from corroded biners to fogged image sensors, but we brought enough of everything to last through the trip,” he says.
Rogers photographed with a Nikon D80 and 16-85mm lens.