When we look at all the diverse environments this little blue marble of ours has to offer, it's easy to see why mountains are so special to our lands, our cultures, and our history. Mountains are powerful symbols: to survive one is to prove yourself mightier than its thin air and rough terrain. To conquer one is to tame it and claim its power for your own. Mountains offer protection to those who choose to build on them, but if you make even the slightest mistake, they can kill you. Their imposing stature puts awe and adventure in the hearts of all who behold them, and they remind us all how small we are.
Isn't that the kind of power you want on your home screen?
Canada is home to many great mountains, but Moraine Lake, nestled in the Valley of Ten Peaks, is one of its most picturesque. It's little wonder that it's been used as a stock wallpaper on devices like the Palm Pre and BlackBerry Pearl. We could climb those majestic peaks, or go for a leisurely canoe ride across that magnificent lake…. Or we can make it a wallpaper and dream about going there.
Now this is a bright blue glacier-fed lake…. And that is a magnificent mountain that feeds it. The Altai Mountains in East Asia are quite breathtaking, and while most of us will never see these 'golden' mountains, we can all appreciate the sunset and the brilliant glow that gives the mountain range its name.
Sunset at Kucherla Lake by Dmitry A. Mottl
Mt Fuji may be one of the most picturesque peaks in the world, and if I ever get a two month sabbatical to the cultural smorgasbord that is Japan, I would love to pay it a visit. In the meantime, there are almost as many photos of the massive structure as there are sakura blossoms at a festival, but this thread of Mt. Fuji photos will give you a wallpaper that feels like you're living just within reach.
While living in the shadow of Fuji must be beautiful, the idyllic countryside cottage nestled here in the French Alps looks positively breathtaking. I don't even wanna know how hard it'd be to get Wi-Fi set up out there, but as a wallpaper, we don't have to worry about any of that. We just have to bask in its beauty and wonder how long it'd take us to make French Onion soup…
Not all mountains have to be imposing, in fact this one is almost too welcoming. I'm almost convinced it isn't even a photo (Update: it isn't! Which makes it even more amazing), but rather a mirage, beckoning me towards the light and warmth of this fertile valley… While most mountain wallpapers are looking up at the peak, this one is looking back down from the heights, from that peak of power, giving us a unique perspective and a sense of accomplishment.
