Beautiful Sunrise at Mount Spokane!

One of the things I've always wanted to do is see the sunrise at Mount Spokane so this morning I left the house around 5:30 and headed up the mountain. Gradually the sky got brighter and brighter...I stress "gradually" because the wind was blowing and at 37 degrees F. it was a little chilly standing outside waiting for the sun to peak out above the distant clouds, but it did finally and here's the picture I snapped:

Still a ways away from opening up for the ski season, but it won't be long. This is the shot of the main chair lift from the base of the Ski Park and it actually is looking up the mountain...

Not even a speck of snow yet, but even though it looks warm outside in the warmth of the beautiful morning sunshine...

Mount Spokane State Park is a 13,919-acre camping park in the Selkirk Mountains and is only about a half hour away from Spokane's city limits. The view at the top of the 5,883-foot elevation includes surrounding states and Canada. The forested park features stands of old-growth timber and granite rock outcroppings. In winter, the park receives about 300 inches of snow. Here's a view looking out from the summit...

There's plenty of hiking trails for use in the summer, a snowmobile park in the winter, and great places for picknicking and exploring. Wildlife in the area to be on alert for include Black Bear, Cougar, and Moose. Here's another nice picture featuring some crisp fall colors...

• Summit Road closes the last Sunday of October.