Austrian Alpine Club Photo Competition - 2014

Readers may recall a diplomatic incident several years ago when I entered a winning photo in the AAC competition. ‘Butterflyfest’ had actually been taken by Sue!

We judged the competition the following year and submitted our 2013 entry too late. But we recently submitted a fairly random selection of snaps taken in 2014.

It’s not a big contest, and the winners simply receive certificates. This year just 21 members sent in a total of 128 images, including 4 sketches.

The hasty and random selection of the images, coupled with my very average snapping skills, meant I had no expectations of success. Sue and I each submitted 5 entries.

Yesterday the results were announced, with some 20 of the 128 images, taken by 13 of the 21 entrants, receiving awards or commendations.

Sue was pleased to discover that one of her pictures was commended, though on this occasion I missed out.

The pictures we submitted are shown in chronological order below. Can you spot Sue’s commended entry?

Wild Camp at Annat

Lochan na h-Earba

Long Flowered Primrose

Round-leaved Saxifrage

Botany Calling


Sassongher Awaits


Crocodile in Badia


Rhaetian Poppy


Mountain Houseleek


Marsh Helleborine

The Austrian Alpine Club has several thousand members. Membership includes some insurance cover and members receive 50% discounts on their accommodation in affiliated mountain huts, so it’s worth joining for no other reason if you are going to spend a week or so in such ‘huts’.

Butterflyfest

This image, taken on 6 July 2011 near San Giacomo in the Maritime Alps, was entered in the Austrian Alpine Club’s 2011 Photographic Competition, and gained the Nature Award.

I reported on that trip here.

But there was a serious faux pas on my part, as the photo now appears to have been taken with Sue’s camera.  I’m in trouble, especially as ‘Butterflyfest’ won the ‘First Time Entry’ category, beating ‘Reflections’ (indisputably my picture), which was Runner-up in that category.  So this year’s entries will have to be submitted in Sue’s name, but will be up against Paul, who is about to depart for Mayrhofen and takes better pictures than we do….

Have a great weekend, everyone.

‘Reflections’

This image, taken on 10 August 2011 at a lakelet near Cabane de Chanrion, on the Chamonix to Zermatt Haute Route, was entered in the Austrian Alpine Club’s 2011 Photographic Competition, and gained the Mountain Landscape/Wild Country Award, following a Slide Presentation at the Club’s AGM, 2012.

I reported on that trip here.

(This is just to cheer people up, as it’s going to rain tomorrow!)

A New Hat

Courtesy of a little competition run by Phil, over at Doodlecat, and with the assistance of a pin (well, it was a little more scientific than that) I have A New Hat. It's Lowe Alpine's legendary 'Mountain GTX Cap', or 'Mountain GTX Casquette' - sorry, I'm just practicing the lingo for our next destination - and the Hat will certainly come in useful where we are going.  The maximum day temperature there over the next five days is currently forecast to vary between -11 and -22°C.

I won't be providing a test report on this excellent piece of kit as it is of known, and very sound, provenance - best used in very cold weather, I hear, and we are certainly heading towards that.

So, thank you Phil for drawing my name out of the 'hat' at such an opportune time, and for delivering said item so efficiently.

Hoorah!