Your Top Ten Photos of 2014!

[w7xman]

The end of the calendar year is always a great time to reflect upon all of the hikes we've done and places we've been in 2014! The quality of pictures we can get from our cell phones and other small cameras has never been greater, allowing us to almost always be ready to capture the moment.

I invite you all to join me in looking through your photo vault and post you top ten shots of the year...whether they are of striking beauty or just meaningful moments. Perhaps include a nice blurb about what, where, and why too...

A little history, a little inspiration from past years:

2013:
http://www.vftt.org/forums/showthread.php?52010-Your-Top-Ten-Photos-of-2013!

2012:
http://www.vftt.org/forums/showthread.php?47317-Your-Top-Ten-Photos-of-2012!&highlight=photos+2012

2011:
http://www.vftt.org/forums/showthread.php?43179-Your-Top-10-Photos-of-2011

2010:
http://www.vftt.org/forums/showthread.php?38676-Your-Top-10-Photos-of-2010

2009:
http://www.vftt.org/forums/showthread.php?33595-Your-favorite-photos-of-2009

 

[bikehikeskifish]

My best friend on Osceola, December, 2014

Tim

 

[Brambor]

Here we go:
Fortunes Rocks Beach

Calderwood Island

Near Bates Island

Start of the Mt.Blanc glacier

Valley near Lago di Youla

Near Mt.Helbronner

Tuckermann ravine

Twins

Pond Island

Group returning from Mt.Blanc at the start of Valee Blanche

 

[SherpaTom]

Washington & Jefferson from Adams on 1st day of winter

 

[sierra]

My hiking partner on Cannon

 

[TJsName]

View attachment 5138

Taken with a cell phone, but still an absolutely beautiful day in April at Fletcher Cascades.

 

[John in NH]

Keep the shots coming!

Brambor-- the shots of the alps make me very jealous

Tim-- looks like he's has taken to winter hiking too, huh?

Here are some of my favorites from 2014:

1. Golden Hour on Bald Mountain looking at Franconia Ridge.

2. Hiker (Me-tripod timer shot) Ascending Kinsman Ridge. Feb 2014. -12 air temp produced the clear skies for great viewing of Franconia Ridge from Cannon.

3. Backlit Snowy Spruce. Feb 2014. Same hike as above, sun was directly the trees for nice backlighting especially over that double topped spruce. The Kinsman Ridge Trail runs through the middle of the shot.

4. Wild Weather on Washington from Wildcat D. Clear skies disappeared. Winds were producing big clouds of spindrift—summit obs said 70 mph up there that day.

5. Crepuscular Rays over Osceolas and Scar Ridge from the Kanc.

6. Hobblebush Near Gordon Falls. Slow shutter speed for motion of breeze and water.

7. Hiker on Roger’s Ledge. A views legend enjoys wilderness views of the Kilkenney. I scratched my cornea just an hour prior after bushwacking Unknown Pond Peak but could still see until later that night.

8. Coyote Staredown, near junction of Stone House Trail/ Shell Pond Loop trail junction in Evans Notch area of Maine. Saw this guy twice on the same hike I think. Got his photo the second time as he was hunting mice in field. Also had a bear encounter on the same hike, solo, 75 feet off the side of the trail. Some of you may recall my frequent encounters with coyotes. I have heard plenty hiking since then and watched a pack hunt another deer in my woods while drinking coffee on my porch. 40 crows led me to confirm the kill in the woods the next day. They aren’t pure scavengers!

9. Coffin Pond Foliage.

10. Family Shot at Lily Pond. My 3.5 year old surprised me two months later when she saw this shot and told me which pond it was at and what she drew in the sand. I had only told it was lily pond once when we were getting out the car that day. Great testament to the power of nature to make family memories.

I've been updating my galleries with plenty more from this past year and some stuff from the archives.

Happy New Year to all!

 

[pudgy_groundhog]

I always enjoy these threads and seeing the beautiful pictures.

bikehikeskifish, very cool shot of your dog.
Brambor, great set. I especially like "Valley near Lago di Youla" and the group returning from Mt. Blanc.
SherpaTom, neat shot. Love the clouds and the mountain tops peeking out.
Sierra, your dog is so cute. What kind is he/she?
TJsName, I like the snow/ice man.
John in NH - lovely fall colors and some beautiful winter days. And the coyote shot is great. Looks like he posed for you!

Some of my favorites:

1. Something a little different for us - hiking the trails around the coastal villages of Cinque Terre in Italy. This one is Manarola at sunset.

2. Another one out of our usual element - the prairie in Nebraska. We were on our way for an early morning fishing trip when we stopped to watch sunrise at this abandoned school house outside my childhood town.

3. This had to be one of our most amazing sunrises ever at the Racetrack Playa in Death Valley NP. Such an experience!

4. On that same day we had an incredible sunset at Eureka Dunes.

5. Another shot from Eureka Dunes; the tallest of which is nearly 700 feet. It was one of the highlights of our trip in Death Valley NP. (I used tripod and timer for this one)

6. This is from Fall Canyon, our favorite hike we did in Death Valley. I was taken aback at how beautiful the canyons were there - I wasn't expecting it.

7. We ended up in the Dolomites again after aborting a hike in Austria due to weather. This picture is from the summit of Piz Boe, one of our favorite hikes we did (slight cheat here - Steve took this one, but it is a favorite!)

8. A sunlit fern in the forest on a hike in the Catskills (Giant Ledge and Panther).

9. Steve and Norah on Breakneck Ridge.

10. Norah leaf catching on a walk in Ferncliff Forest.

 

[Brambor]

great shots everyone. Really cool to be able to travel through your photos.

 

[sierra]

Thanks pudgy, he is an Australian Shepard, color pattern is know as the Blue Mearle.