Past the point of earliest sunset

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peakbagger

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They mentioned on the news that the earliest sunset was in the past few days despite being 6 days short of the winter solstice. The sunrise will creep later until early January but its the early afternoon shadows in combination with earlier shadows associated with the local terrain that sets my "internal running out of daylight" alarm. There is still snow on the ground up north but definitely less of a winter look. Sunset today in Berlin NH is 4:05 PM, the folks in Boston get 6 more minutes as the Boston sunset today is 4:11
 
I'm no longer a fan of winter cold or darkness, so I was delighted some years ago when I realized that the "worst" part of winter darkness for me is over in the first week of December, instead of at the solstice.
 
However, the atmosphere has a considerable built in temperature and bad weather lag, so that the peak of the cold and storminess comes some weeks after the solstice. We have yet to experience due normal amount of significant lake effect snowfall this season just off the eastern end of Lake Ontario. It will be coming, I am sure. Now that we are past November, my least favorite month, let the fun begin.
 
Love the winter and all it's glory. As all the 4 season's. Can't stand Maui,Florida,Las Vegas,California or similar type weather and living style.
 
Love the winter and all it's glory. As all the 4 season's. Can't stand Maui,Florida,Las Vegas,California or similar type weather and living style.
I've been to all of those places, and with one exception, there is great hiking there. There is also a considerable weather swing in several of those. Certainly 'California' does not even begin to describe a weather type or a life style. And all of those places get snow, at least once in a while. But we were talking about time. Hawaii, Las Vegas, and Florida do have less extremes of daylight, but whether that is a good or bad thing is up to the individual.
 
I live on the western edge of the Eastern Time Zone. The earliest sunset of the year (a couple of days ago) was 5:29 pm on the day that peakbagger listed Berlin NH at 4:05 pm and Boston at 4:11 pm. Sure do like that extra sunlight at this time of year. Summer solstice sunset is circa 9 pm with half light reflecting off the river until about 9:45 pm.
 
Love the winter and all it's glory. As all the 4 season's. Can't stand Maui,Florida,Las Vegas,California or similar type weather and living style.

There is actually pretty good skiing on the Big Island of Hawaii during the "Winter" months.

And on Mauna Kea you gotta earn your turns... at 13,000 feet. Here's the trail map...

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I spent quite a bit of time over a few years working for the Air Force at the observatory on the mountain top in Maui. Nice trails around there, some heading down into Haleakala crater. The primary trail, called the Sliding Sands trail, went winding its way down into the crater. It tempts you with short step shuffle jogging down hill as an efficient and fast way to travel, but when it is time to return back up your lungs remind you that you are at 10,000 feet. There is a cabin you can camp at on the opposite side. Occasionally light snow would fall on the silver sword plants in winter. Then it is a good time to head down to the warm beach.
 
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