South Mountain Inversion

Inversion layer forms a wall
 

Headed up South Mountain to get some exercise and to get up into the sun.  It worked.  The inversion layer is really low.  At home there was fog, clouds and stale air but at the South Mountain the sky was blue and the air was fresh.   South Mountain is a very ugly slog on Green Diamond aka Simpson lands.  But the view at the top almost makes the slog worth it.  With 2,400 feet elevation gain in 8 miles round trip, it's a pretty good winter time work out too.

The gate was above the inversion and we had blue skies for the entire hike.  We headed back down just before the sun set.  Niether of us wanted to go back into the clouds and the smog, so we drug it out as long as we could.

The snow started about 1/2 way up and it was compacted and a bit icy.  I wore my hiking crampons, my partner work his microspikes.  There was a warm summery breeze coming off the snow, it was amazing.

The summit was windy and cold as usual but it was also sunny.  The ugly cities and most of the ugly clear cuts were below the clouds, but the mountain tops and the ocean were in view.  That's just how I like it.

On the way down the sun was very low and briefly it hit the inversion layer just right so I was able to get the shot above.  F8 and be there!  Well actually it was 1/30 sec;   f/7.1;   ISO 400.  I had to take a lot of shots to get one that was not too blurry with that slow shutter speed.

8 miles with 2,400 feet elevation gain

Mount Adams and the guy wires holding up the radio tower

Mount Rose in the middle is dwarfed by Mount Copper on the left and Pershing on the right

Sun sets over the pacific ocean

Oh dear

Snowy container on the summit

Summit Shack

really low inversion layer

 
scary sign

Matching coats

 

Patches begging for my lunch

New camera

What's wrong with this picture?

Orange band on horizon is the Pacific Ocean