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This is a fun thread – think about it translated to that trip report feature that was bandied about awhile back. So many mountains, so little time.

Mine was taken while listening to the Greybull River in the Washakie Wilderness, Wyoming.

Good idea for a thread. Reminds me of all the places I hope to see before the old ticket is punched.

<– This one is me and my girlfriend a little below Nambe Lake in the beutiful Pecos Wilderness above Santa Fe, NM. We started the trail at ~90 degrees and sunny. Then the clouds came in… Then the rain started… then it turned to hail… Then my GF related that she didn't actually bring a jacket like I had "suggested" (notice the one she's wearing is a little large on her…) Long story short, had to hike 4 miles in pounding, stinging hail, wearing nothing but a short sleeve cotton T and shorts. Got back to the truck soaking wet, air temperature of ~40 degrees F, mildly hypothermic, and with frost nip on my right index finger and thumb…

When we got back to Albuquerque (one hour south) it was 100 degrees F and sunny, and I was still cold. Only time I've ever gotten into a black car that's been sitting in blistering sun all day, and said "ahhhh… that's nice". I use it to remind me to always go prepared. Well, that and the annoying numbness in my hand anytime it gets a little cold…

Mine is Tehipite Dome in Tehipite valley in Kings Canyon National park. The relative isolation of the spot intrigued me, so I'd planned on going there 2 years ago on a loop hike around Sierra National Forest, but we bailed early because the mosquitos were so bad. I made a special one week trip in September last year doing a loop from SNF through Tehipite to the JMT and then back into SNF just so I could say I'd finally made it into the valley. All the bears were coming down to lower altitudes, and I ran into 9 (adults and cubs) in a 48 hour period. One encounter ended with me dropping my map and losing it, causing me to lose a full day bushwacking my way up to the head of the valley because I didn't realise the trail had crossed the river.

This photo serves as both a memento and a reminder to hang onto my map and not get tunnel vision about where trails might lead.

That's my frozen mug on an overnight training run through the Snowy Range in SE Wyoming. -20(f) that morning when I crawled out of the bivy.

Changed my avatar again. This one was in Slovenia hiking up to a 6000 foot pass.

Eins

That's me on top of Half Dome, with the camera looking toward the northeast. It was during an August 2005 trip with friends and family. We had gotten up to the top ~ 6 pm, and shared it with only ~2-4 people which is a very different experience than you have during the typical summer rush. Echo Unicorn, and Cathedral Peaks are behind me, but I can't recal now which is which.

We camped on Quater Dome, which is the highest you can legally camp, and had it all to ourselves. There was a full moon, making the granite glow blueish at night. I was awoken at 3 am by a group of people hiking up to Half Dome for some star gazing and to watch the sunrise.

The killer hike up and lack of water along the last part made me further appreciated the lightweight learnings from BPL, as well as my Mariposa backpack and tarp.

Me at Trail Crest just below Mt. Whitney. Summited and had a fine 3 days with many close friends. Highlight of the trip was at Trail Camp. Having my Tarptent turn into a glorious bivy at 3am. I had wondeful views of the stars and watching hikers going up the famed 99 switchbacks.

Mine, which may soon change, is a picture of me wearing my wonderful, homemade nose cozy. I used to wake up many times a night with an uncomfortably cold nose…no longer! Sometimes its the smallest things that make the biggest differences! by the way, it's REALLY light! LOL…

This is on day 5 of my 8 day trip on Steve Roper's Sierra High Route just above Catherine's Lake below Mt. Banner. It is a self photo with my camera sitting on a rock.

Self portraits can be dangerous: I almost lost my camera setting it on the railing of a bridge for one once. The wind blew it over but it landed with only about 1/2 inch sticking over the flat metal railing.

Very cool thread! I've enjoyed reading the posts and geting a glimpse of all the places I haven't yet been. And I had really wondered about Miguel's upsidedownness when reading his posts on other threads… :-)

Mine is of me (duh) on one of my finest hiking days so far – Sept 2006 on Mt. Katahdin. This was taken by a newly met friend near the bottom of the Gateway section on the way DOWN, so I knew without a doubt I was going to make it on my first try. It was a huge milestone for me, proving to myself that I can tackle the AT in sections at least. I remember the thrill every time I see the pic!

Hey Alec:

You don't look too shabby. I am new to Wyoming and have started to do some packing over in the Sierra Madre Mountains near Encampment. I am looking to head into the Wilderness areas and was wondering if you have done any hiking over there?

Just found this thread, which died down a couple of weeks ago.

My picture is my daughter (now 23) and me in the Hoh Valley at Olympic National Park in June 2006. It was the first time in several years that our whole family–with the two older kids now grownups–got to vacation together. Since my daughter is waaaay cuter than me, I figured she'd dress up the picture nicely.

What's an avatar?

I couldn't find any hiking/backpacking pics, so I was forced to use one from Lakefest 2007 on Lake Texoma, Texas.

Edit – changed the sailing avatar to last weekends hiking in Guadelupe National Park avatar.

Mine is from day two of the Palisades Traverse in the Sierra Nevada from Sept. '06. I don't think it's a foot fetish (?) but I love taking pictures of feet. Every trip I take, I take a photo of my feet — usually bare and happy in the Sierra sun, but this time was booted and cramponed on the glacier.

The latest is of Susan's Vasque Sundowners, after I spent a few hours cleaning and waxing them. She's into shoes and the Marin County Fashion Police now has a Point Reyes Wilderness K9 unit. I didn't want her to get busted for having dirty boots. The new laces accesorize nicely with her favorite wind shell.

I've updated my avatar, so this is my second post on this thread.

This time, the photo is myself and my daughter Megan, now 17, on the Koyukuk River in Gates of the Arctic Natl Park, AK. This was about day 6 on the river, with just 4 of us in a single raft. Earlier that day a trio of moose had swam across the river right in front of our raft during a violent rainstorm. This campsite was loaded with hundreds of wolf tracks, but alas, we did not see any wolves that day.

No one interested in wilderness should miss going to northern AK, a truly mind blowing experience. Alaska is a treasure.

Somehow I started out with a nice climbing picture moved on to some gorgeous wilderness shots,one of dawg and me, and have de-evolved to a cartoon image of Crusader Rabbit. Since someone must really want to know, Crusader was the first animated show produced for television. This was done by Jay Ward of Rocky and Bullwinkle fame and featured said rabbit, his sidekick,Ragland T.Tiger [Rags], Deadly Niteshade, Ill-regard Beauregard. The first episode was Crusader Rabbit vs. the State of Texas aired in 1950. I don't know why this seems appropriate but it just does.
Ya know sometimes ya get the bear,sometimes it gets you.
Peace you bunch of vibram heads.

My 2nd trip overseas way back in 1980 to India and Nepal. Photo was taken near Periche (spelling?) with Everest over my right shoulder and Ama Dablam out of picture to my left.

Everest is actually the smaller peak between the two more obvious peaks. Smaller from this angle of course !

Wrestling a rock out of the Little Cataloochee trail in Smoky Mountain National Park. The rock won this round.

The Little Cataloochee has got to be the ugliest, muddiest, hiking trail in the Smokeys (it's the horses that do it). On a thirty day hitch, two of our crewmembers actually got full-blown trenchfoot from working in the ankle-deep mud. They say it was worth it, one section of trail looks alot better.

Church Mt. in Washington for two days, sort winter trip on the weekend. I hate getting old, having a 'real' job and college debt!

Posting a new avatar changes all the avatars under my name, so the former description doesn't apply anymore. The current avatar is me having a great time on the summit of Mt. St. Helens on June 29. Of the 100 who paid the fee, we saw only 16, and half turned back before summiting. I'm modeling my ID eVent rain jacket and ULA Relay pack. Of course, starting the next day the weather was fabulous for the next 2 weeks.

I also changed mine, yet again.
It is me, lounging in my AGG tent at Lillian River, Elwha Valley, Olympics this past weekend.

Mine is a Chukar Partridge. They are gorgeous little birds that haunt the cliffs and talus/scree slopes of the desert canyons in Idaho, including the river canyons of the Snake, Lower Salmon, Owyhee, Bruneau, and tributaries. Sadly they are not native to the United States, but an early Asian import like their cousin the Ringneck Pheasant. For me, their wild and beautiful call invokes wonderful feelings of awe for our awesome desert canyons that are largely unknown, unseen, rugged, and remote. My favorite place to be is the mountainous alpine zone, but these canyons are a close second.

Maybe now that I'm getting my load down into the UL range I'll consider changing to a backpacking self portrait. Prior to finding this site, my avatar would have been an Ostridge with it's head in the sand (over the embarrassment of a crushing 45 pound pack!).

Mine is a picture from Observation Point looking down into Zion Canyon. The circle embedded into the rock is the USGS marker.

EDIT – new pic, see later post

the mountain in my avatr is Ama Dablam.

I have no real connection with the mountain, Ive just always considered it the most spectacular and beautiful mountain I have seen