Over the past few weekends, I've been trying to get out in the early morning to take sunrise photographs at James Peak which offers one of the best 360-degree views within an hour from Denver. On a clear day, you can see as far southeast as Pikes Peak near Colorado Springs, as far northwest as Steamboat Springs, as far east as Denver, and as far west as Vail. This past Saturday finally received a break from the monsoon-like weather we've been experiencing, and ninety minutes after the always pleasant sound of a 3am alarm clock, I was up and hiking along the nearly 4-mile one-way trail that gains over 3,000 feet.
Even though I've been up to James Peak five previous times, none of those trips had me hiking in the dark, so I was met with a few obstacles before being able to reach the summit. Unfortunately, I did not make it all the way to the top by the time the sun starting brightening the skies, but below are two photographs that highlight yet another excellent day in the mountains.
