2022 Mountain Hardwear GMC Photo Contest
Editor’s Note - The General Mountaineering Camp (GMC) has been a staple of ours for over 100 years. Each one is in a different heli-accessed location within Canada's western ranges, accommodating anyone and everyone looking to explore the mountains, from those just starting out to hardened life-long mountaineers.
This year the camp took place at International Basin, and Mountain Hardwear has provided the following prizes to the winners:
It was a hard to pick the top three winners from our amazing batch of photos, but we did! Below are our winners - to see runner-up images and to learn more about our selection process, stay tuned for the Winter 2022 issue of the Gazette!
1st: Amy Liu
"On Aug 12, 2022, mountain guide Francisco ( Pancho) Medina took Doug Sims, Leroy Hiller and myself ( Amy Liu) to climb Mary Peak (2699m). It was one of the "easy" projects for this year's mountaineering camp based at International Basin, and it was our last climbing day. The weather was a perfect summit day, everyone knew we were leaving next day so we took the climbing slowly, soaking fully in the scenery and warmth from the sunshine, and just being in the moment. Francisco led the way up, we enjoyed the view of all the peaks at the background that we climbed during the week. We made the summit, and we celebrated. And we look forward to returning to the camp next year." Photo: Amy Liu.
WHY WE CHOSE IT:
We really felt like this photo encompassed our love for the GMC and the mountains. There’s a clear view of a jagged skyline, glaciers, snow, the alpine pond and blooming flora… all staples of the locations we carefully choose to have our GMC. The participants in their bright clothing accent the photo and add the human and “play” element to the alpine. As two participants scramble up with helmets, we get the idea that the terrain is technical, and if you look closely, the climber out front has a pretty bright smile, suggesting a beauty of a day. We love it!
2nd: Patti Dyment
“This was the most spectacular plein air location I have ever painted. This painting and others can be seen at the Canmore museum, which is hosting an exhibition of Patti Dyment‘s work until January 3, 2023.” Photo: Patti Dyment.
WHY WE CHOSE IT:
What we enjoy doing most in the mountains can vary between audiences, but the unifying idea continues to be that they’re beautiful and sacred places. This photo from our 2022 Artist-in-Residence, Patti Dyment, so vividly displays another dimension to the GMC and another way to love the hills. We have a full array of a gorgeous alpine environment in the background, the tools of the trade in the foreground, and Patti’s interpretation of everything around her front-and-centre… a piece that could not have been completed without some love. Beauty!
3rd: Ben Parsons
“Our guide Maarten and amateur leaders Isabelle and Nico led us up Battlement Mountain on July 8. Weather had been variable all week, but it really started to rain as we approached the summit. In this photo, the weather breaks momentarily as Maarten lead climbs up the crux before he belays the rest of the group up. Moments later, it started raining and snowing heavily. Despite the weather, everyone made it to the summit safely.” Photo: Ben Parsons.
WHY WE CHOSE IT:
This photo from Ben Parsons shows a bit of the grit behind climbing, and in our eyes, why we love it. Ben’s using an editing style called “high dynamic range” with provides sharp contrast and details to any edges and we think it works well here! Between some very layered up participants in this photo with their hoods up, a very attentive individual in the foreground, and an overcast sky, we get the idea that it’s not easy going at the moment. While we like the rainbows and sunshines in the mountains, many of us also don’t go climbing because it’s necessarily easy, and we thought Ben’s photo speaks to this. Nice one Ben!
Come join us for the Chess Group in 2023!
Whether you're looking to challenge yourself on remote alpine summits, enjoy the comfort of base camp, savour chef-prepared food, socialize with a group of like-minded individuals or simply take in the spectacular mountain vistas, the GMC offers it all. The camp typically sells out, so register early to avoid disappointment!