I prefer #1 as well, this is a good example of why I have been migrating towards longer focal length landscapes lately (this coming from a former wide angle junkie). Don't get me wrong wide angle shots can be really awesome, but the more normal focal lengths convey a better sense of place to me, the mountains and distant features get shrunk down way to small for me in super wide angle shots. Again it really depends on the subject, but I think for this particular case the longer focal length works better.
I have started using my longer lenses, and doing panoramas with them...to get the wide angle look, with the detail provided by the longer lens. I know that is not new...its new to me, and I like the results.
I also prefer #1 and although I always carry a wide angle for those grand landscapes, more often than not I use the 70-200 when the clouds are not there. The 14mm shot would have looked much better had there been nice clouds and color in the skies and as it is if printed in a 3:1 ratio it should still look impressive if there is enough detail in the file.
