Winter Alpenglow on the Presidential Range

This view of the Presidential Range from the shoulder of Mount Pierce quickly became one of my favorites this winter. On a Sunday after a foot of fresh snow I hiked up in the late afternoon, giving up a powder day of skiing for the winter conditions I’d waiting for all season. The skies were cloudy and I was fully expecting one of those hikes where the rewards is the long walk in the woods. Instead, just before sunset the mountains started to glow orange as the sun slipped below the horizon and we were treated to a beautiful display of alpenglow over Mounts Eisenhower, Monroe, and Washington.