I took a little ride to the Sierra Nevada Mountains in California. Ended up in the Alabama Hills at the base of Mt. Whitney. A great rock formation called the Mobius Arch framed the peak just right. 14000 feet of pure granite.
In case you have trouble getting reservations, we have 50+ 14ers here, and you don't need to sign up to climb them. Great photo, OP! I love the way it captures the contrasting shapes and colors of the different rock.
As a teenager I was fortunate to be in a Boy Scout troop which was heavily into backpacking. Among many other trips to the Sierras, we climbed Mt Whitney from the back side from Onion Valley, 40+ miles over about a week picking off 3 or 4 other peaks along the way. Absolutely glorious country.
I think Whitney's popularity is due to it's accessibility. That and the fact that it is the tallest peak in the lower 48.