Album Your favorite shots from 2015

[Nick]

I'm sure many of us still have ambitions to get out a bit more this year, but why not start looking back on the good times had in 2015? Just like last year, this thread is for your personal favorites of the year. Not necessarily your best shots, or your most frame-worthy, but the ones you like the most. Be sure to tell us a bit about them and include links to trip reports if you posted one!

Here's a handful of mine to start it off. I'll definitely have a few more.

Old dog Nikita striking a pose on my ill-fated solo boat trip in January.


The first of several flood-filled trips in May. 2015 was definitely the year of the flash flood in Utah.


The last two flood-filled trips paled in comparison to this once-in-a-lifetime flood experience in June. Looking back, we were lucky to escape with no harm or significant damage.


This shot really sums up the comfort of boat camping. It's like a cross between backpacking and car camping. I love it. Looks like I never posted a TR for this one.

Yak-packing the Wind Rivers in July was surreal.


Let's see yours...

 

[Artemus]

Yes! Whoa. You've had a good year Nicholas.

 

[Nanda]

That 2nd last pic is awesome capture.

 

[Artemus]

A wonder-filled trip to the land of tall granite. Saucers over Yosemite Valley, YNP.

 

[Artemus]

I love birds. I caught this Red Tailed Hawk on an overflight of my house.

 

[Dave]

I love how Nick starts a thread then immediately makes the rabble like myself ashamed to put our pictures up for comparison.

 

[Nick]

I love how Nick starts a thread then immediately makes the rabble like myself ashamed to put our pictures up for comparison.

Oh come on! Those are basically just snapshots of my dogs and a couple of storms! Your stuff is way better! Let's see 'em!

 

[Artemus]

I love how Nick starts a thread then immediately makes the rabble like myself ashamed to put our pictures up for comparison.

I used to be intimidated by posting anywhere near you guys - you included Asher! But I learned to try harder and to share some of my seemingly mediocre stuff too. And I think I am getting better and I am having fun doing it.

 

[Artemus]

Attitude Picture.
Another one of my hobbies... Surveying the Rabbit Ears Wilderness on a High Colorado tarmac trip.

 

[Dave]

My favorite of the year, from Yellowstone.


Floating the upper Green River probably ranks as my favorite outdoor experience of 2015.


This sunrise at Neon made me miss the 16-35 f/2.8's superb sunstars.


This composition really spoke to me when I shot it. Didn't seem to resonate with anyone online but I loved the juxtaposition of foreground and background elements.


A 10-stop ND filter helped convey the wild motion in the skies during a rainy Memorial Day hike in Upper Muley.


@Nick shared this amazing spot during our Autumn Ambling overnighter.


This serene morning shooting sunrise along Havasu Creek yielded a bunch of keepers. The motion in the water in this shot made it one of my favorites.

 

[Artemus]

View attachment 36944
My favorite of the year, from Yellowstone.

View attachment 36945
Floating the upper Green River probably ranks as my favorite outdoor experience of 2015.

View attachment 36947
This sunrise at Neon made me miss the 16-35 f/2.8's superb sunstars.

View attachment 36948
This composition really spoke to me when I shot it. Didn't seem to resonate with anyone online but I loved the juxtaposition of foreground and background elements.

View attachment 36949
A 10-stop ND filter helped convey the wild motion in the skies during a rainy Memorial Day hike in Upper Muley.

View attachment 36951
@Nick shared this amazing spot during our Autumn Ambling overnighter.

View attachment 36952
This serene morning shooting sunrise along Havasu Creek yielded a bunch of keepers. The motion in the water in this shot made it one of my favorites.

Cough, Cough, Cough. Well I'd say you've had a great year too Dave. Spectacular!
- I think the Neon/Sunstar is my fave...

 

[IntrepidXJ]

One of my favorite overnight trips of the year.


The Dragon's Back by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr

>> The Dragon's Back Trip Report

 

[IntrepidXJ]

I've been to The Wave about a dozen times, but this was probably my favorite visit and a great way to start the year.


Passage Snow by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr

>> Wave Winter Wonderland Trip Report

 

[Dan_85]

Here's a handful of my faves from this year. I made it out to California in July and Utah in October...

Illilouette Creek, Yosemite. A really beautiful, peaceful corner of the park.


Lyell Glacier & Donohue Pass, Yosemite

Shadow Creek, Ansel Adams Wilderness

Afternoon storm over Mt Whitney and the Alabama Hills - Lone Pine, CA

Long Lake & Mt Abbott, John Muir Wilderness


One of my first proper attempts at photographing the Milky Way - Deer Creek, along the Burr Trail

On route to Upper Muley Twist. I love the early morning mist and the layers/depth in this one.

Upper Muley Twist. I liked the sense of scale given by my mate in the lower centre of the pic.

Last light in Valley of the Gods

 

[gnwatts]

Buzzard

Near Telluride, Co

 

[Jen]

I have a lot of favorite photos from this year. none of them are photographer worthy, but they are backcountry adventure worthy and i find them inspiring!


This is Beata. We took a trip ski touring the Polish backcountry this spring. She climbs like a goat, says fantastic quotes like "In poland you eat snow for the breakfast" and in general is the person who gets me out of bed at 6AM on my day off to enjoy the incredible diversity of the wasatch backcountry. We had a wonderful time touring through the incredibly affordable Polish backcountry huts in the Tatra mountains, a tiny range between poland and slovakia. They are open all year round, have view like this, and are based out of the beautiful town of Zakopane. Go there.

This is Tiburon island in the background, property of the Seri people off the coast of Sonora, Mexico. You need a permit from them to go there, untouched wilderness. Scoping it out for future amazing backpacking plans...

This is one of the largest colonies of mexican free-tailed bats emerging from the land orient trust mine in San Luis Valley Colorado. It is above the very spectacular Valley view hot springs and nearby to many spectacular hiking and camping spots, incuding Great sand dunes national park and the crestone needles and kit carson peak. It took me seven years to make it to see this spectacle and was worth every minute of the wait.

I crash many pre-planned trips with my lateness, and am blessed to have people who will let me have that last open spot on their permit. Thank you @slc_dan for giving me my first taste of the maze, i can't wait to go back. Boat ride back was a cuddle puddle of gear, beer and happiness. Also thank you to @NateGeesaman for showing me how a beautiful backpacking trip can mitigate any disaster if you approach life with calmness, kindness and adaptability. No hiking shoes, sleeping pad or hat? no problem.

and of course, the hailberg storm of 2015 that @Nick has already posted beautiful pictures from. Our visiting German friend survived the storm, flattened tents, swimming with cacti and rattlesnakes, the flowing river of ice, and was mostly (physically) unscathed. RIP to my trusty REI halfdome however. Trip report here. It has been a beautiful, adventure filled year and i can't wait for the next!!!!

 

[Artemus]

I have a lot of favorite photos from this year. none of them are photographer worthy, but they are backcountry adventure worthy and i find them inspiring!


This is Beata. We took a trip ski touring the Polish backcountry this spring. She climbs like a goat, says fantastic quotes like "In poland you eat snow for the breakfast" and in general is the person who gets me out of bed at 6AM on my day off to enjoy the incredible diversity of the wasatch backcountry. We had a wonderful time touring through the incredibly affordable Polish backcountry huts in the Tatra mountains, a tiny range between poland and slovakia. They are open all year round, have view like this, and are based out of the beautiful town of Zakopane. Go there.

This is Tiburon island in the background, property of the Seri people off the coast of Sonora, Mexico. You need a permit from them to go there, untouched wilderness. Scoping it out for future amazing backpacking plans...

This is one of the largest colonies of mexican free-tailed bats emerging from the land orient trust mine in San Luis Valley Colorado. It is above the very spectacular Valley view hot springs and nearby to many spectacular hiking and camping spots, incuding Great sand dunes national park and the crestone needles and kit carson peak. It took me seven years to make it to see this spectacle and was worth every minute of the wait.

I crash many pre-planned trips with my lateness, and am blessed to have people who will let me have that last open spot on their permit. Thank you @slc_dan for giving me my first taste of the maze, i can't wait to go back. Boat ride back was a cuddle puddle of gear, beer and happiness. Also thank you to @NateGeesaman for showing me how a beautiful backpacking trip can mitigate any disaster if you approach life with calmness, kindness and adaptability. No hiking shoes, sleeping pad or hat? no problem.

and of course, the hailberg storm of 2015 that @Nick has already posted beautiful pictures from. Our visiting German friend survived the storm, flattened tents, swimming with cacti and rattlesnakes, the flowing river of ice, and was mostly (physically) unscathed. RIP to my trusty REI halfdome however. Trip report here. It has been a beautiful, adventure filled year and i can't wait for the next!!!!

Great pics and trips Jen! Tiburon island and the Seri. Hey, I know of that place. The Seri are some of the original long distance runners that used to hunt deer on foot - by running them down. Cool place.

 

[Jen]

Great pics and trips Jen! Tiburon island and the Seri. Hey, I know of that place. The Seri are some of the original long distance runners that used to hunt deer on foot - by running them down. Cool place.

I didn't realize where we were going, but we also ended up in Basaseachi (Basaseachic) in Copper Canyon, home of the Tarahumara who are the long distance runners profiled in the book "Born to Run". Seeing the terrain first hand years after reading the book and not really knowing what it looked like was really impressive. I will absolutely go back to that area and spend some significant time there. I found a trip report of some guys who did the copper canyon traverse and while i wouldn't do the struggle fest that they did, some of you longer hikers might be interested in it.

 

[BJett]

Summer night in the Red River Gorge. Kentucky.



Sunrise above the clouds. Red River Gorge, Kentucky


Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock Wilderness. North Carolina/Tennessee border.

 

[Artemus]

Nice Brandon. I love the headlamp spotlight shot especially.