It never ceases to amaze me just how vastly people's opinions can vary on the same subject matter. I really liked your photo and gave it an 8 and was stunned at both the final score and placement. This is in my opinion a very nice photo, and warranted a higher score.
You will see that in all Adams' images they have high contrast, like yours, but also are perfectly focused. Yours is not. Yours looks to have digital sharpening yet does not seem in clear focus.