Best Photo Award-Chubi's 2010

BEST PHOTO NOMINEES

Below are the nominees for Best Photo. I'm only including pictures I took, which unfortunately leaves out most of the best pictures (such as from Mount Moosilauke or Chicago Basin). But nonetheless, use the comments to vote for your favorite.



"The Call of the Sods" - Classic ytown. From Lion's Head Point, Dolly Sods Wilderness. It's a shame I didn't take the date stamp off.


"Ice Fingers" - One of the many strange ice formations witnessed on the hike down from North Dome & Mount Sherril, the last Catskill 35ers we climbed this year.


"Kaaterskill Falls" - A side trip before our epic Devil's Path hike in the Catskills. We took many pictures of the falls from lots of angels but the classic full frontal is still the best.


"Supai White" - The vibrant red of the Supai Group contrasted with the fresh snow--one of the many unexpected wonders from this year's Grand Canyon trip.


"The Mountain Man" - taken with an iPhone on Mount Eisenhower. The stark landscape on the peaks plus Ace's "bundled-upness" portrays how rough conditions were above treeline in the Whites


"Phantom Communication" - A pole from the Trans-Canyon telegraph line near Phantom Ranch at the bottom of Grand Canyon


"The Buck" - we spotted a doe near this ridge on the way up to Utah Flats in Grand Canyon. Right when I said "Why is she alone? Shouldn't there be a buck nearby?", this guy stepped over the ridge and right into a classic.

Enjoy! Happy Holidays!

-Mark

Chubi Award Nominations 2010!!!

Hello one and all.

Welcome to the 1st Annual Chubi awards--my contribution to the winter awards season. These awards celebrate the best in backcountry experiences from the year. There are 11 categories, mostly centered around different hikes or places. Next week I will announce the winners.

The purpose of the awards is twofold. 1) to help me remember and catalog my experiences for the year and b) possibly provide some insight for others on what great hikes are out there. So without further delay. . .THE NOMINEES ARE:

Best Non-Summit Hike

• Artist's Point Snowshoe (Mount Baker-Snoqualmie NF, WA)
• Dolly Sods Traverse (Dolly Sods Wilderness, WV)
• Grand Canyon Corridor Loop +(Grand Canyon National Park, AZ)
• Lover's Key Loop Dayhike (Lover's Key State Park, FL)

Best New Gear

• Merino Wool Buff
• TSL Backcountry Snowshoes
• Soto Micro Regulator Stove

Best Summit - East

• Camel's Hump, Camel's Hump State Forest, VT
• Gothics, Adirondack Park, NY
• Mount Lafayette, White Mountain National Forest, NH
  
• Mount Moosilauke, White Mountain National Forest, NH
• Mount Washington, White Mountain National Forest, NH
  

Best Wildlife Encounter

• Bald Eagle on Tamiami Drive, FL
• Bighorn Sheep near Truchas Lake, NM
  
• Grey Fox at Bright Angel Campground, AZ
  
• Goats in Chicago Basin, CO
  
• White Mountains Safari Adventure, NH
  

The Challenger Peak Award for Best "Teachable Moment"

• Whiteout on Kaaterskill High Peak (Catskill Park, NY)
  
• Goat Attack (Chicago Basin, CO)
  
• Lost Tunafish (Grizzly Peak, CO)

Best Mountain - West

• Mount Elbert (San Isabel National Forest, CO)
• Mount Eolus (Weminuche Wilderness, CO)
• Jupiter Peak (Weminuche Wilderness, CO)
• Grizzly Peak (Weminuche Wilderness, CO)
• Truchas Peak (Pecos Wilderness, NM)

Best Brewery

• Backcountry Brewery (Frisco, CO)
  
• Beaver Street Brewing Company (Flagstaff, AZ)
• Keegan Ales (Kingston, NY)
• Steamworks Brewing Company (Durango, CO)
• Woodstock Inn Station & Brewery (North Woodstock, NH)

Best Long Trip (3+ days)

• Chicago Basin (San Juan National Forest, CO)
• Grand Canyon Corridor Loop+ (Grand Canyon National Park, AZ)
• Presidential Range Traverse (White Mountains National Forest, NH)
• Truchas Peaks (Pecos Wilderness, CO)

Best Hiking Partner*

• Ace (for multiple trips)
• Judar (for Chicago Basin)
• He of the Shallow Water (for Chicago Basin)
• Whit (for Chicago Basin)
• Y-Town (for Dolly Sods)

Best Summit Hike

• Camel's Hump (Camel's Hump State Forest, VT)
• Mount Eolus (Weminuche Wilderness, CO)
• Grizzly Peak (Weminuche Wilderness, CO)
• Mount Moosilauke (White Mountain National Forest, NH)
• Truchas Peak (Pecos Wilderness, NM)
• Mount Washington (White Mountain National Forest, NH)

Best Photo

• The nominees for this award will be posted in another. . .post, and the winner will be selected by a popular vote. Use the comments section to cast your vote!
  

*Tory is ineligible for this award because she already won my heart with her backcountry cooking and foot massages. And she let us borrow her car that one time, that was awesome.

So have fun speculating for the next week (feel free to use the comments to make your guesses) and congratulations to all the nominees!

-Unit

Current Song: Paper Planes by M.I.A.