Being an early bird on a Saturday has its privileges, like seeing Eliot Tower bathed in the pink hues of dawn while surrounded by over 9 inches of fresh snow. The top of Great Blue Hill gets, on average, less than 19 inches of snow a year, according to the Blue Hill Observatory and Science Center, so this was certainly a special occasion!
Mother Nature couldn’t have picked a better day to deliver a few freshies–Saturday was the shortest day of the year, otherwise known as the Winter Solstice. It was also the occasion for the inaugural Solstice Sunrise Hike organized by Friends of the Blue Hills. Almost 20 hikers of all ages gathered with two hike leaders just before dawn in the Trailside Museum parking area. The destination? Eliot Tower. The route? The Red Dot Trail.
There were few footprints to follow, and at times, we broke first tracks while trudging up the hill. Trekking poles and microspikes were the fashion of the day, making it much easier to maintain headway. Even in the 20-degree weather, it was a workout!
But what’s a little work when you’re rewarded with what one hiker called “one of the top 5 beautiful things I’ve seen in my life.”
While we have many winter hikes scheduled for the coming weeks, we hope you’ll make a point to join us next year for the 2nd Annual Solstice Sunrise Hike. If you thought the Blue Hills Reservation was beautiful before, it’s absolutely breathtaking at dawn.
Featured image by Kim Carlozzi of Milton
