[Karen²]

Time for the annual SINGLE best photo you took this year (2012) thread. Previous years here 2010 & 2011. Again the rules are you decide the criteria for why it is your best, whether it was techincally sound, your favourite moment or special achievement.

[Karen²]

Embarrasingly I still have 16 days worth of California Sierras photos to process for this year so while I'm sure I've got lots of gems in there I think I will commit to this photo.

Sunset from the Sandbar

This was obviously not a hiking, but a kayaking photo. After many tough hiking and photography trips this year my reward was a little R&R in Hawaii. Our kayak trips were delayed due to the arrival of the box jellyfish (8-10 days after the full moon - bad time to be in the water), minus tide not at optimum times and poor conditions. At minus tide in Kaneohe Bay a sandy beach emerges out of the ocean and that coincided with sunset for us. It was quite cloudy and being on the east side I did not really expect much of a sunset. While we watched the water recede the light started to take on a really cool hue. I started snapping photos like crazy, every minute it got even more amazing...until...the sun rays appeared. Wow! I had crummy light on a lot of my hiking trips this year so I felt I was due for a nice show! When this kind of light happens, I get completely lost in the moment. I was running around like a goof with a giant grin on my face and fully enjoying trying to capture it in my magic little box. It is moments like this that provide me the inspriation for travel, photography and hiking.

[Ingunn]

I love that photo, Karen!

Valhalla

Mine isn't the exactly the greatest photo in the world (it's my favorite photo, not my best), but when I look at it I get all giddy and happy remembering what a great day that was. Nothing beats hiking in fall colors with my guy and my pups.

[Jackal]

Ingunn, that's a perfect picture of what's great about the Cascades. Nice choice. I like the elemental simplicity of this picture, July 4th Maple Pass, and it represents what a glorious place we live where you can hike AND ski all year!

Corclimbing_tree&cloud

Bring on the 2012 eye candy!

[GaliWalker]

A great set of photos to open up the thread; love 'em all! For me, this year was really difficult to pick from. I managed to get to a number of locations that had been on my list for years. A photo from any of those locations could have made it, but the one I've picked isn't. It is my favorite photo of the year though, for the first two of the three reasons Karen² listed in her opening post.

Delicate Arch

The photo was taken in April, in Arches National Park, Utah. While waiting for the light to improve I scoped out various locations and settled on this spot. However, when the sun began to go down and the arch was bathed in gorgeous light I happened to be set up in a different spot, where everyone else was. Right at sunset the clouds began to light up, but out of frame for me. Of course these were prime from the location I'd originally decided to shoot from. Everyone must have thought me mad as I abandoned my current stand and sprinted to some other spot out of sight...

[Sore Feet]

Without question this guy:

[scole]

I think I'm going to have to go with this sunrise shot taken up at Boundary Bay, British Columbia. I paid a visit to photograph the snowy owls back in February and was treated to a fantastic sunrise:

[clarkj22]

New on here. My names John, though I would add my best. This shot is the South sister's reflection on green lakes near Bend OR. Beautiful, smoky morning in the midst of the pole creek fire while summitting BrokenTop.

[Matt Lemke]

This one wasn't exactly my best but it is my favorite for 2012!

2 labels

Forbidden Peak Sunset Panorama from Klawatti Col

[LadyÆsa]

Hard, hard, hard choice..... I'm not sure I picked my "true" best, but this is my favorite by far...

CB10.28.12.8BW

[blastoh]

Lighting Up the Night

From Sahale Glacier Camp. The Orange glow onthe left side is a fire in Eastern Washington. This was the second of two nights at the camp. The first was completely clear, and the second I had these clouds rolling in reflecting the light from the fires. This was just amazing. It looks even better animated, and is part of a Timelapse video I just released. https://vimeo.com/56005640

[blastoh]

[Gil]

I like this one for the memory that it evokes, a beautiful summer evening spent at a lovely spot with my daughter.

la1

[JPH]

Probably not going to win any awards, but it's definitely my favorite of the year:

It brings together a lot that's important to me.

[RichP]

I took this photo of my buddy Pablo in January after he made it to the summit of the Domuyo Volcano in northern Neuquen Province, Argentina. Though he had a tough time, he was successful after a failed summit bid the previous year. That's the Argentine flag draped over his body.

Blood, sweat and tears on the summit of El Domuyo