w7xman
Active member
Sunday instead of going for a big hike, I went for two small hikes...one at sunrise, one at sunset with a long wonderful nap inbetween. It was a nice change!
I left SoNH at 3:30AM and headed for the trailhead at Foss Mountain in Eaton, NH. This is a REALLY short hike, with about as big a bang for your buck as you'll find in the Whites. I met a fellow photographer there, and headed up at around 5:30. At the top, the first glow was warming the horizon, the sky clear, temperatures comfortable, wind non existant.
As soon as there was enough light to see, I began to scout. The blueberry bushes that the mountain is known for were ablaze red, and the hillsides were in peak autumn coat. My first shot of the morning...15 seconds long revealed what I hoped to capture:
I stayed on top for about an hour and a half, shooting, sharing stories, and watching the alpenglow light up Chocorua, Washington and a fine supporting cast. This photo was another favorite, but I still have a few more to process.
What a morning...
I headed down, and headed for breakfast, passing Crystal Lake as it was clearing...WOW!
I spent the morning looking at foliage at typical tourist spots before the morning's 2:45 alarm overcame me, and I took a long nap...
I awoke several hours later and decided on Black Cap for sunset. The hike is a bit over a mile on easy trail to a great view over North Conway. The peak was busy considering the late hour, and within an hour of sunset, atleast 5 additional parties arrived.
The sky was pretty gray, and I was pretty much writing off any color. Most families had gone down...and eventually I began to break down my set up.
THEN...
About 10 minutes after the sun dropped below the Moats...it found a hole below the horizon. Clouds blazed...and bathed the entire landscape in pink. WHOA! I scrabled back to the spot I had scouted and hoped to shoot, and managed to get off a few shots.
Nearly dark again, an 8 second exposure revealed this:
The hike down was quick, dark and under headlamp.
Small hikes allow great flexibility in the daily schedule, and I really have to spend more time scouting them out...because if I can bookend more days like this...I'll be a happy hiker.
Enjoy!
I left SoNH at 3:30AM and headed for the trailhead at Foss Mountain in Eaton, NH. This is a REALLY short hike, with about as big a bang for your buck as you'll find in the Whites. I met a fellow photographer there, and headed up at around 5:30. At the top, the first glow was warming the horizon, the sky clear, temperatures comfortable, wind non existant.
As soon as there was enough light to see, I began to scout. The blueberry bushes that the mountain is known for were ablaze red, and the hillsides were in peak autumn coat. My first shot of the morning...15 seconds long revealed what I hoped to capture:
I stayed on top for about an hour and a half, shooting, sharing stories, and watching the alpenglow light up Chocorua, Washington and a fine supporting cast. This photo was another favorite, but I still have a few more to process.
What a morning...
I headed down, and headed for breakfast, passing Crystal Lake as it was clearing...WOW!
I spent the morning looking at foliage at typical tourist spots before the morning's 2:45 alarm overcame me, and I took a long nap...
I awoke several hours later and decided on Black Cap for sunset. The hike is a bit over a mile on easy trail to a great view over North Conway. The peak was busy considering the late hour, and within an hour of sunset, atleast 5 additional parties arrived.
The sky was pretty gray, and I was pretty much writing off any color. Most families had gone down...and eventually I began to break down my set up.
THEN...
About 10 minutes after the sun dropped below the Moats...it found a hole below the horizon. Clouds blazed...and bathed the entire landscape in pink. WHOA! I scrabled back to the spot I had scouted and hoped to shoot, and managed to get off a few shots.
Nearly dark again, an 8 second exposure revealed this:
The hike down was quick, dark and under headlamp.
Small hikes allow great flexibility in the daily schedule, and I really have to spend more time scouting them out...because if I can bookend more days like this...I'll be a happy hiker.
Enjoy!
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