2006 Banff Mountain Photography Competition

Trepidation glints in the eyes of photographer Andrew Querner's two companions as they keep warm while climbing Lotus Flower Tower in northwest Canada's Cirque of the Unclimbables, a remote region of mountain peaks and walls. This untitled photograph was the Grand Prize winner in the 2006 Banff Mountain Photography Competition.

"In this image, my uncertainty about completing the climb is reflected in the faces of my companions, Querner said in a statement.

Climbing in a remote alpine setting introduces a great number of variables, weather included, that can conspire to spoil a successful ascent. With alpine climbing, sometimes the only certainty is an overwhelming sense of ambiguity."

Canadian-born Querner and 16 other winners were recently named by the competition's jury at the Banff Mountain Centre, an institution in Alberta, Canada, dedicated to creative expression and environmental preservation.

The competition was presented in part by the National Geographic Society.

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