Mueller's image topped an impressive collection of more than 3,300
photographs from 31 countries submitted in the eighth annual competition.
The competition is presented by National Geographic and Dunham Bootmakers,
and sponsored by Chevy Avalanche.

"Tombstone is an iconic landscape and one of my favourite wilderness areas,"
says Mueller, a wildlife biologist and nature photographer based in
Whitehorse, Yukon. "It's a new Yukon park established with the local First
Nation, though there's still controversy over unresolved mineral claims."
"The light can be magical and the landscape haunting, yet we waited in our
tent for six days in rain, snow, and fog until shafts of light finally began
to penetrate the gloomy skies. This image was made with a medium-format
panorama camera: heavy to haul in the backcountry, but well worth the effort
at moments like this."
The 2003 Banff Mountain Photography Competition jury included Alec
Pytlowany, Jerry Kobalenko, and Brad Wrobleski of Alberta. In addition to
the Grand Prize, the jury chose winners in five subject categories. Another
10 photographs received special mention. Winners include:

GRAND PRIZE
Fritz Mueller of Whitehorse, Yukon Territories, Canada took the Grand Prize
for his photo Autumn Sunset in the Heart of Tombstone, Tombstone Territorial
Park, Yukon. Mueller wins: $1000 (CAD), plus prizes from National
Geographic, Dunham Bootmakers, and Chevy Avalanche.

CATEGORY PRIZES
The following photographers won category prizes and will each receive: $500
(CAD), plus prizes from National Geographic, Dunham Bootmakers, and Chevy
Avalanche

Ø Best Photo - Mountain Adventure: Have a Good Flight, Rainer Eder, Zürich,
Switzerland
Ø Best Photo - Mountain Culture: SkiJ-CH, François Portmann, New York City,
New York, USA
Ø Best Photo - Mountain Environment: Davos-II, François Portmann, New York
City, New York, USA
Ø Best Photo - Mountain Flora and Fauna: Big Leaf Maple: Leaves and
Reflection, Jeff Friesen, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
Ø Best Photo - Mountain Landscape: Mountain Goats and Glaciers, Kluane
National Park, Yukon, Fritz Mueller, Whitehorse, Yukon Territories, Canada

SPECIAL MENTIONS
In addition, each of the following photographers received Special Mentions:

Ø Chris Atkinson of Squamish, British Columbia, Canada for Alister King,
Bouldering, Squamish, B.C.
Ø Gary Brettnacher of Campbell River, British Columbia, Canada for Powder
Eights
Ø Keoki Flagg of Olympic Valley, California, USA for B & W Powder Series #13
Ø Paul Harris of Harrogate, UK for Annual Run to the Summit of Ben Nevis,
Scotland, UK
Ø John G. Kelley of Falmouth, Maine, USA for Foothill
Ø Cameron Lawson of Salt Lake City, Utah, USA for John Varco climbing in
Chamonix, France
Ø Sergey Melnikoff of Tashkent City, Uzbekistan for Morning over South China
Ø Nicole Morgenthau of Salt Lake City, Utah, USA for Potato Farmers, Huaraz,
Peru
Ø Dan Rafla of Banff, Alberta, Canada for Fields of Gold
Ø Kennan Ward of Santa Cruz, California, USA for Wild Grey Wolf, Denali
National Park, Alaska

The Banff Mountain Photography Competition is a program of Mountain Culture
at The Banff Centre. Winning photos will be unveiled in Banff during the
Banff Mountain Festivals (November 5 - 9, 2003). The photos will remain on
display through to October 2004 at The Banff Centre and will be exhibited at
select locations in North America and abroad.
Winning photos can be viewed at www.banffcentre.ca/mountainculture