I know many of you were unable to sleep over the weekend — and not just due to the sugar rush you were on after the sacks full of Halloween candy — but because you were so eager to learn which leader’s photo took the top spot in the Leader category of our photo contest. Well, friends, you’ll sleep well tonight, because this is the moment — allow me to introduce you to the very best leader photos we received this season.

Our winner is multi-year Apogee vet Mike Lessard — whose picture of the snowfields in Olympic National Park captures the alpine glory and sense of limitless space that our Northwest Hikers know and love from their experiences out west. The lines you see on the right side of the picture were left by members of Mike’s group as they glissaded down the snowfield. [As an aside, Mike is on his way to Finland tomorrow, where he’ll spend three weeks cross-country skiing with the best skiers in the world — go, Mike!]

Close behind Mike’s shot were his compatriots Lidia Sanza and Andy Janiga. Lidia’s picture nails the camaraderie and effusive joy that we love to see on our trips — these guys are joking around on last summer’s Caribbean Service Adventure in Puerto Rico. Andy’s picture, much like Mike’s, takes the long view — his is a great shot of the deep hills north of the border on the way to Quebec City.

Gorgeous shots, all! Your reward — the pick of the beds during next summer’s Leader Training!

Thanks again to everyone, students and leaders alike, who contributed pictures to this year’s contest — we’ll be sure to do it again next year!