IntrepidXJ
ADVENTR
- Joined
- Jan 17, 2012
- Messages
- 3,482
Sunday, March 15, 2015
On Sunday morning Diane and I headed into the Colorado National Monument for a short and steep sunrise hike. Recently Diane had mentioned to me that she wanted to climb to the top of The Island which is between Monument Canyon and Wedding Canyon. It had been a few years since I was up there and I was definitely interested in hiking it again, especially since we were going to catch a sunrise on the way. We made it to the Lower Monument Canyon Trailhead about 45 minutes before sunrise and were the first vehicle in the parking lot. We started hiking in the dark and followed the rim on the southeast side of The Island over Monument Canyon so we would have a good view as the sun came up.
A little alpenglow on the side of The Island. Look closely and you can see Independence Monument sticking up in the distance.
Island Aplenglow by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
A few pink clouds over the Grand Valley behind us. I liked how the pink color was reflecting in the small lakes along the Colorado River.
Island Dawn by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Monument Canyon getting a little light just as the sun was coming up over the Grand Mesa.
Monument Canyon by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Diane takes a break while waiting for me to take a few photos.
Going Up by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Beautiful golden light strikes the sandstone below.
Sunrise from The Island by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Light on the Wall by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Another look back over the valley to the Book Cliffs.
Above the Valley by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
While the view of Independence Monument from the point of The Island is not my favorite, I did like the shadow this time.
Independence Shadow by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Diane rests and enjoys the view after climbing about 1,100 feet in 1.5 miles.
Enjoy the View by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
One last view of the point of The Island. The top of Independence Monument is straight ahead.
The Point by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
After resting and taking in the views for a while, we turned around and hiked back down a more direct route. It was a nice way to start our Sunday.
>> Return to The Island Photo Gallery
>> The Original Trip Report on ADVENTR.CO
Featured image for home page:
On Sunday morning Diane and I headed into the Colorado National Monument for a short and steep sunrise hike. Recently Diane had mentioned to me that she wanted to climb to the top of The Island which is between Monument Canyon and Wedding Canyon. It had been a few years since I was up there and I was definitely interested in hiking it again, especially since we were going to catch a sunrise on the way. We made it to the Lower Monument Canyon Trailhead about 45 minutes before sunrise and were the first vehicle in the parking lot. We started hiking in the dark and followed the rim on the southeast side of The Island over Monument Canyon so we would have a good view as the sun came up.
A little alpenglow on the side of The Island. Look closely and you can see Independence Monument sticking up in the distance.
Island Aplenglow by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
A few pink clouds over the Grand Valley behind us. I liked how the pink color was reflecting in the small lakes along the Colorado River.
Island Dawn by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Monument Canyon getting a little light just as the sun was coming up over the Grand Mesa.
Monument Canyon by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Diane takes a break while waiting for me to take a few photos.
Going Up by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Beautiful golden light strikes the sandstone below.
Sunrise from The Island by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Light on the Wall by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Another look back over the valley to the Book Cliffs.
Above the Valley by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
While the view of Independence Monument from the point of The Island is not my favorite, I did like the shadow this time.
Independence Shadow by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Diane rests and enjoys the view after climbing about 1,100 feet in 1.5 miles.
Enjoy the View by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
One last view of the point of The Island. The top of Independence Monument is straight ahead.
The Point by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
After resting and taking in the views for a while, we turned around and hiked back down a more direct route. It was a nice way to start our Sunday.
>> Return to The Island Photo Gallery
>> The Original Trip Report on ADVENTR.CO
Featured image for home page: