North Fork Mountain and extras (West Virginia, 11/4/'18)
Nov 6, 2018 13:03:52 GMT -5
Post by GaliWalker on Nov 6, 2018 13:03:52 GMT -5
North Fork Mountain and the last gasp of fall in West Virginia (Nov 4, 2018)
Some pictures from North Fork Mountain, in West Virginia’s Monongahela National Forest, followed by a few from nearby Seneca Rocks and Spruce Knob Lake.
North Fork Mountain
The northern end of the spine of North Fork Mountain is full of great viewpoints, with none better than Chimney Top. I’ve never managed to make it to Chimney Top at sunrise, because the light always seems to be perfect when I gain the ridge crest and the first of the vistas (and well shy of Chimney Top). It was no different this time, even though I’d told myself to not get distracted. I’d hiked the first 40min in the dark, courtesy of my 5:30am start from the trailhead, and dawn was still about a half hour away when I reached the first viewpoint overlooking the Potomac River valley and New Creek Mountain. Fog blanked the valley and soft light had New Creek Mountain glowing red. There was no way I was going to miss out on this bit of magic.
Dreamscape
Above the fog
Believe it or not, this is a selfie. I took this with a 10sec timer, and only just managed to get into position before the shot fired. Heart racing after my sprint, I then had to stand still for the 2sec exposure required for the pre-dawn light.
I restarted the climb up to the magnificent spires of Chimney Top as dawn was breaking, and reached it about a half hour later. I had the place to myself. I messed around for quite a while, taking pictures, before the next other hiker arrived. Subconsciously, I had been awaiting this very eventuality because I’d had a picture in mind from even before starting the hike, based on earlier trips. Unfortunately, I could not take that on my own and needed help from someone else: the photo was going to be of me, posing on one of the spires, with the shooting location well away from it; too far for me to take using the camera’s remote shutter release or a timer.
Cresting wave
Waiting
Selfie
New Creek Mountain
Glowing in morning sunshine
Shadows and highlights
Spires and ridgeline
Me, atop one of the spires at Chimney Top. I had this picture in mind from even before my hike up to Chimney Top, based on past trips. I needed someone else to take it for me though, since the spire I’m standing on was a 2-min scramble away from the spot the camera was sited. Thankfully, this other hiker showed up and agreed to take the picture. I set up the shot and mounted the camera on the tripod so that he would just have to push the shutter release button, and then raced over to my perch.
Forested bumps
Prominent perch
Fall foliage
In bloom
Bisector
Bench
This was a cool new perch I found, after working my way around one of the spires. I was able to wedge myself so that I was secure before I took this picture, because there was significant exposure to my right.
After Chimney Top, I wandered along the ridge for another 0.75mi to a prominent perch visible from the Chimney Top vista, before retracing my steps to the car.
Cliffs
Bands
Chimney Top
Skylined
Selfie
Woods walk
Selfie
Seneca Rocks and Spruce Knob Lake
I wasn’t really in the mood for much more hiking, but I did want to check out Spruce Knob Lake, which I hadn’t visited in a while. On the drive over I made a short stop at Seneca Rocks to take a quick photo of the amazing rocky fin.
Seneca Rocks
Spruce Knob Lake: Inlet stream
Spruce Knob Lake
Some pictures from North Fork Mountain, in West Virginia’s Monongahela National Forest, followed by a few from nearby Seneca Rocks and Spruce Knob Lake.
North Fork Mountain
The northern end of the spine of North Fork Mountain is full of great viewpoints, with none better than Chimney Top. I’ve never managed to make it to Chimney Top at sunrise, because the light always seems to be perfect when I gain the ridge crest and the first of the vistas (and well shy of Chimney Top). It was no different this time, even though I’d told myself to not get distracted. I’d hiked the first 40min in the dark, courtesy of my 5:30am start from the trailhead, and dawn was still about a half hour away when I reached the first viewpoint overlooking the Potomac River valley and New Creek Mountain. Fog blanked the valley and soft light had New Creek Mountain glowing red. There was no way I was going to miss out on this bit of magic.
Dreamscape
Above the fog
Believe it or not, this is a selfie. I took this with a 10sec timer, and only just managed to get into position before the shot fired. Heart racing after my sprint, I then had to stand still for the 2sec exposure required for the pre-dawn light.
I restarted the climb up to the magnificent spires of Chimney Top as dawn was breaking, and reached it about a half hour later. I had the place to myself. I messed around for quite a while, taking pictures, before the next other hiker arrived. Subconsciously, I had been awaiting this very eventuality because I’d had a picture in mind from even before starting the hike, based on earlier trips. Unfortunately, I could not take that on my own and needed help from someone else: the photo was going to be of me, posing on one of the spires, with the shooting location well away from it; too far for me to take using the camera’s remote shutter release or a timer.
Cresting wave
Waiting
Selfie
New Creek Mountain
Glowing in morning sunshine
Shadows and highlights
Spires and ridgeline
Me, atop one of the spires at Chimney Top. I had this picture in mind from even before my hike up to Chimney Top, based on past trips. I needed someone else to take it for me though, since the spire I’m standing on was a 2-min scramble away from the spot the camera was sited. Thankfully, this other hiker showed up and agreed to take the picture. I set up the shot and mounted the camera on the tripod so that he would just have to push the shutter release button, and then raced over to my perch.
Forested bumps
Prominent perch
Fall foliage
In bloom
Bisector
Bench
This was a cool new perch I found, after working my way around one of the spires. I was able to wedge myself so that I was secure before I took this picture, because there was significant exposure to my right.
After Chimney Top, I wandered along the ridge for another 0.75mi to a prominent perch visible from the Chimney Top vista, before retracing my steps to the car.
Cliffs
Bands
Chimney Top
Skylined
Selfie
Woods walk
Selfie
Seneca Rocks and Spruce Knob Lake
I wasn’t really in the mood for much more hiking, but I did want to check out Spruce Knob Lake, which I hadn’t visited in a while. On the drive over I made a short stop at Seneca Rocks to take a quick photo of the amazing rocky fin.
Seneca Rocks
Spruce Knob Lake: Inlet stream
Spruce Knob Lake
