So I got motivated to get up and out for Dawn Patrol on Monday. Alarm went off at 3:20 am like a klaxon. I was at the trail head on exit 47 by 4:30. As I got ready to depart I realized that I'd forgot to grab a headlight. I almost decided to bail and sleep in the car until sunrise and then head into work, but I figured I'd give the iPhone a try. Thanks to the very cool infrared app, I switch the phone into video mode and put it on the special infrared setting. By watching the screen I could clearly see the faint green outline of the trail.....
Just kidding. But I did use the illumination from the screen and its small illumination of 2 feet to stumble along the trail without too much trouble. Switchbacks were interesting as I'd usually end up stumbling into the hillside and have to turn around and catch the trail again. I was worried about missing the Pratt Lake / Granite Mountain split, but luckily it was obvious. Finally around 5:45 as I exited the tree line and the wind picked up I was able to make out the trail in the morning twilight. As I started up the ridge line toward the lookout the dawn rolled out behind me as the fog poured over the pass.
I scrambled up the boulders on the ridge line to the summit. I beat the sun up. Played around taking photos of the various vantage points and then ran down the trail to the car and was into work by 9am. Great way to start the day.
Video :
Route (notice how the magic iPhone got confused on the way down)
Couple of pics I've processed so far :
Um...most of us have to huff-n-puff up the trail but you seem to have mastered the secret of just wishing yourself up-up-and-away. Care to share that secret? PM me so the rest of the world don't find out.
Great pics. I was up there yesterday and even though we had great hike, your morning shots make me so jealous. Wish I could get up at 3:00 a.m., hike a mountain and still be at work on time.
I got down the old trail at Si with a Nokia after forgetting my headlamp, so good on ya
the lookout sunrise shot is so beautiful! Great job, you are a new flickr friend that's for sure
(I added a video on the original post)
I've found that once I am up that there is little difference between being awake at 3:30 and 7:30, but its that first getting up that can be hard. Especially when there is no compelling companionship, but then being an early riser negates that is hard. Some mornings with no one to meet despite my best intentions I turn the alarm off and go back to bed. I do get energy from knowing there will be a great sunrise or from wanting to get out and shoot some photos. As for wishing my way up... one of the reasons I don't include the sound from my videos is that I am huffing and puffing just like everyone else, I just huff and puff a little faster.
I should also clarify none of these photos were taken with my iPhone it only lighted my way and recorded my track (with the GPS app).
Couple more pics :
Um...most of us have to huff-n-puff up the trail but you seem to have mastered the secret of just wishing yourself up-up-and-away. Care to share that secret? PM me so the rest of the world don't find out.
Spilling the beans...there's an iPhone app for that.
"Bears couldn't care less about us....we smell bad and don't taste too good. Bugs on the other hand see us as vending machines." - WetDog
Albuterol! it's the 11th essential
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"Bears couldn't care less about us....we smell bad and don't taste too good. Bugs on the other hand see us as vending machines." - WetDog
Albuterol! it's the 11th essential
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