- Beautiful Sunrise from Candy Mountain Summit (click pic to enlarge)
The winter is one of my favorite times to hike. I know, it is chilly but you can put on a hat, coat, gloves and boots and still enjoy the trails surrounding the Tri-Cities in comfort. This morning, I planned on getting up and beating the sunrise! It was an amazing sight! As I hiked through the thick fog, I started to worry that the fog might be above the top of the mountain. a couple hundred feet from the top, I emerged from the pea soup and saw the blue, clear skies! I knew the sunrise was about 15 minutes away so I just waited and enjoyed the frost accumulations on the plants.
Frosty Plants on top of Candy Mountain (click pic to enlarge)
It took about 15 minutes to reach the top of the hill. The quiet of the morning was very peaceful. I must admit, it has been a while since I hiked. I’ve been riding my bicycle quite a bit so that has interrupted my hiking. At the top of Candy Mountain, I waited and saw the bright red orb of sunrise as it shone through the fog and finally rose above to brighten the mountain tops.
Sunrise on Candy Mountain (click pic to enlarge)
As I hiked back down, I saw two large dogs with their owner, I thought they were deer at first, then I focused through the fog and saw them more clearly. It was a beautiful morning hike, especially as I slowed down to see the handiwork of the frost on the plants.
Hoar Frost Beautifies the Desert Plant Life