Last time I tried this as a sunrise hike, the morning was cloudy. So here I go again, hoping to catch that golden light. The sky was clear, and I got to the northwest lookout before sunrise.

After leaving my sunrise picture spot I met dozens of people on the trail. The first was a hiker going the other way, then there were more hikers, joggers, bicyclists, and finally when I got to Sand Canyon, horseback riders.

My daughter Clara was waiting for me at Meridian Trailhead. She’s precious.