Centennial Ridge Mount Allan Sunrise Hike

Moonlight/Sunrise Winter Mountain Adventure
Distance: About 12 k
Hiking time: Over 10 hours
Elevation Gain: 1,356 m (4,448.82 ft) 

It’s midnight and my alarm clock goes off. Who else wakes up at midnight and goes on a hike through pitch black forest just to see the sunrise above the mountains?! After hiking to see the sunrise a few times, I felt in love with hiking in the dark. The woods transform at night and take on a life of their own.

We get to the trail-head, put our backpacks, gaiters, microspikes, toque and gloves and headlamps and and set out. It’s almost 3:00 AM

A light covering of new snow mostly falling on Tue morning. Freeze-thaw conditions. Extremely windy from the West (closer to 130km/hr at the summit). The cold wind piercing our face I was glad to have ski googles! I hiked Mt Allan this summer, but coming back this time when it had snow everywhere looked like a complete different place!

Mount Allan is a steep slog but the weather was favorable and we were wowed with an east to south traveling lovely bright half moon, and even we weren't on the summit for sunrise we were close to the amazing rock garden and made it for an extraordinary experience!!!!

“By the light of headlamps
And a silvery moon
The hikers trudged up the mountain
Putting trust in their spikes
Through the darkness they braved the ice and snow
To reach the top before the break of dawn
To catch a breathtaking few minutes
Of the landscape turning pink 
Before the light of the sun
Showed the group safe passage
Down from their mountain adventure”
Poem written and shared by Leasha MacDonald 

Thank you for Michael JC and dear mountain friends for a gorgeous sunrise hiking day! Blessed with beautiful deep golden skies!

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