A guest from Indiana came to us hoping to take on a half day hike. A sunrise hike, actually — to do something really special while visiting. Her first stop was in Vermont, and adding a visit to New Hampshire was high on her list as well. And once she realized how close to Maine she was (as we pointed to it), we’re pretty sure a self-guided tour of Jockey Cap in Fryeburg was in her very near future. One spot for a local sunrise is the impressive Whitehorse Ledge. For someone from one of the flatter regions of our country, this was a great choice. Back home she hiked and ran but the only elevation she could get was about 350′ over a distance of 1.8 miles. That’s not “training” steep.
Coincidentally the clocks were falling back. A perfect time for a sunrise hike… we get another hour of sleep! The skies were partly cloudy, which can produce dramatic sunrises at times, but this time the event was a little subdued. But awesome nonetheless. Plus, with cool morning temps, the hike was a nice one. Our flatlands visitor took to the hills with ease so staying warm through exercise was easy. The team made it to the summit well before the 6:26Am sunrise, sat down on foam butt pads — Redline Guide Mike Cherim came prepared. They watched the metamorphosis of morning light and saw some crepuscular skies beaming down on the landscape.
The team ascended via Bryce Link and Bryce Path, and doubled back on their return. They switched it up, though, taking on Cathedral Ledge as well so as to take in even more views as the day brightened. Descending they followed the “climbers’ trail” to save time. Mike noted a new (to him) bike trail that begins at the North End. Hmmm. Here are some photos.
