A few days ago someone asked on Flickr how to make contrasty images of distant mountains. Some people recommended filters, UV or polarizers, but although polarizers help a little, the real damage that haze can do to contrast and colors has already been done long before the light reaches your lens.
I recommended my mini-tutorial in “2292 – Out Of The Blue” (which is all about post-processing images taken in noon light), but of course the proper way to do it is to use morning or evening light. At that time color and contrast come for free. You’ll still need a graduated ND filter or post-processing, but you have much, much better material to work with.
The Song of the Day is “Pyramid” from the 2006 self-titled Wolfmother album. Hear it on YouTube.