Open Category 2019

Essence Of The Dragon is a photo competition hosted by Vertical Endeavour featuring images of the Maloti-Drakensberg Mountains - showcasing their splendour & unique character, towards better recognition of their worth & enhanced enjoyment of those who explore them.

Vertical Endeavour has hosted these photo competitions since 2010. Visit our photo gallery to see all the amazing shots of the Drakensberg that have been collected during this time.

2019 Annual Category 1
Theme: Open
Criteria: anything related to the Maloti-Drakensberg Mountains
Gallery for entries: www.vertical-endeavour.com/gallery/drakensberg/essence-of-the-dragon/open-category-2019.html
No. of entries per member: 3
Start date: immediate
Last submission date:  31 January 2020
Last voting date: 15 February 2020
Prize: Spirit of the Drakensberg book

The governing rules of the competition provide full details on how to participate and on all applicable rules. The rules are there to ensure fairness and transparency in how we conduct the competition, as well as to encourage active membership among the participants. Before entering the competition, please read through these fully.



The book prize was kindly sponsored by the author, Richard Hunt.

 

ABOUT THE BOOK
The Spirit of the Drakensberg takes the reader on an evocative journey through the mountains. The twelve chapters are based on the demarcated Ezimvelo KwaZulu-Natal Wildlife areas– a unique approach that informs the reader of the highlights and dramatic scenery waiting to be discovered in each particular section of the Berg.  It took Richard Hunt six years to capture these Mountains in their changing moods and seasons; enticing one to take to the footpaths, if only from an armchair perspective,  to enjoy the spectacular beauty that unfolds, page by page. The photographs are contextualised by succinct captions, allowing one to share Richard Hunt’s passion for this ancient mountain range, and recognising its deep spirituality and endless lure.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
KwaZulu-Natal born and bred, Richard Hunt grew up in Mooi River. With the mighty Drakensberg Mountains constantly in sight, his visual sense was honed by their shape, form and endlessly changing beauty. Richard Hunt has a farming background, which connects him in many ways to the earth and fuels his deep love for nature conservation. Wilderness areas have always called him but he only discovered phtography in his later years, capturing magnificent landscape images during his monthly forays into the mountains. His vast collection of quality photographs depicting the entire Drakensberg range provides an unprecedented overview of the region.

To order your own copy, follow this link .

I have the 2019 overview page up, which can also be accessed through the footer link (scroll down to the bottom of any page).

Please encourage people to get involved on the forum and in the competition (note that there is a very small requisite for some forum activity to be eligible for the competition). You can also help spread the news by re-sharing/liking the latest post on VE's Facebook page .

The Divide

Looking down the crux pitch on a variation of the original route on the Western Injisuthi Triplet, which was opened in October 2019. A spectacular knife edge ridge, seen below, connects the Western Triplet with the Middle Triplet. The new route is a direct, steep continuation of this ridge up to the summit of the Western Triplet. It is the divide between the two very intimidating faces of the Western Triplet. It was also the divide between good and bad weather (it had snowed lightly before this shot was taken). It was the divide between uncertainty of a new route versus the excitement that it might actually go. It was the divide between what turned out to be good rock versus the infamous rock quality of the "Black Recess" just around the corner on the East Face that had kept most climbers away from this side of the peak for decades. It was the divide between anxiety and the eventual relief that we had actually made it to the summit.

Gallery Link

The Enchanted Land

Some time ago, a certain friend and I were interested in the Didima area. For us it represented an area not frequently access by hikers but filled with interesting peaks and places which we enjoyed exploring.The area had a certain charm and feel. This shot was taken from Tlanyaku Pass on one of our visits and it stirs up some of that nostalgia in me. The peaks look like they are some kind of secret fortress rising up above the mist, guarding the enchanted land which lies beyond.

Gallery Link

Submission for all current photo contest rounds are extended to the end of January to cater for the holiday period. Please get your submissions in! Remember that you can submit up to three 3 entries per category and that there is an awesome prize up for grabs for the Open Category as well as Escarpment Vistas (see first post of current thread).

Giving this category a bump too.  Today is the final day for submissions.