{"id":37996,"date":"2025-12-12T13:43:33","date_gmt":"2025-12-12T13:43:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/goatbells.blog\/?p=37996"},"modified":"2025-12-12T13:43:37","modified_gmt":"2025-12-12T13:43:37","slug":"spencer-sunrise-thru-crack-in-sky","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/goatbells.blog\/?p=37996","title":{"rendered":"Spencer sunrise thru crack in sky"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

As with several recent hikes, I make a plan the night before with great ambition and motivation, but had a contingency or two in back pocket to manage OR weather. I wake up and review the weather and combine everything into a simple balance: how much carbon will burn (gallons of gas) and what is the anticipated hike’s experience quality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Alpine Trail was 5 gallons of gas and 2 packs quality experience; Ridgeline and Spencer were 1 gallon of gas and 2-2.5 packs given better weather. I chose Ridgeline to avoid driving \/ burning the carbon for same or less experience. Hike objective: near winter solstice long<\/em> hike.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sunrise was pegged at 7:30ish with possible clearing, so I started at Spring Blvd TH around 6:00 with headlamp to hit sunrise atop Spencer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

How about walking up stairs to the fog?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Timing was nigh spot-on as I reached Spencer top with just a crack between the fog and clouds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Several other humans were at the top and we all just stopped and watched the sun pass through that very small crack in the sky; this was my favorite photo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The second time atop Spencer was different with the sky opening up and by the third time it was just blue sky<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Timing that sunrise to the crack in sky was unique … sharing it with others atop Spencer wasn’t bad \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Route<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Left Spring Blvd TH around 6:00 … straight to Spencer top for sunrise and then down to S. Willamette and right back to the top; from there down to Blanton Ridge TH (after stopping for lunch) and then back to Spencer top. Finally back to Spring TH. – my typical Ridgeline 3x up.<\/p>\n\n\n