Sunrise on Moosilauke - 6/7/2009

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JacobH

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This TR could also be titled "What happens when you don't know how to use a camera", but I digress... let me start from the beginning. Before the hike. During the week beforehand I had decided that I wanted to do a sunrise hike, and the forecast looked good. I picked a mountain (luck) that I figured would have a good view of the sunrise, and decided that the Moose would give good easterly views from an open summit. I chose Beaver Brook trail, just in case there were no views I would at least get some nice scenery on the way down. Did a little planning and figured if I left my place at midnight, I could get there around 2, and be on top around 4:30-5 for the sunrise.

With the plan set. I got my gear together and took a nap the night before at 8PM. Woke up and set out on a beautiful, clear night for the Beaver Brook TH. The skies developed a very light covering of high clouds. I was a bit concerned that this would harm the chances of a good sunrise, but I also knew that it could help as well. I wasn't too concerned.

I arrived around 2am as planned, and started off. I signed the register since I was hiking alone at night, then promptly got lost crossing the brook. Remembered that the trail I was taking never crossed a brook and retraced my steps back to the correct side and continued up. The hike in was very nice, I could hear the brook to my right the entire way through the steep part but couldn't see anything. As I neared the area of the shelter, where I had planned on taking a rest, I heard something LOUD in the thick scrub very close by to the left. I grunted back (who knows why?) but didn't hear anything else. It must have been a hilarious scene, me and whatever it was, frozen probably 10 feet away from each other. So I did what any normal person hiking alone at night that just heard a loud crash in the bushes next to them would have done--hauled ass for about 2 miles. Not taking this break ended up being a great decision, because I probably would have missed this:

I truly apologize for the quality of some these photos. Trust me, I wish they were better.

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Blurry, but I don't recall ever having seen this color before in my entire life...
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Success! (well, except for the picture quality)
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Lenticular cloud over George is too perfect here.
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Here's where the sun would be if there were no clouds (not a complaint!)
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The path back down
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Fog in the valley
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Jobildunk Ravine (?)
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One last look, thank you for a great morning Moose!
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Mostly down the trail, looking towards Kinsman Notch
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Back home in time for breakfast with the wife and kids. :)

Link to the album:
https://picasaweb.google.com/113151684718025230301/200967MoosilaukeSunriseHike#
 
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Thanks Jay and bristlecone. It was a great experience to have Moosilauke to myself on such a fine spring morning.
 
Nice!

Just the fact that you're willing to make a trek like this to take pictures is a step in the right direction. The rest will come, and oh yeah, they're not as unworthy as you think, in fact, they're pretty nice!

KDT
 
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