We all love to see the scenic photography of sunrises from our very childhood. In textbooks, magazines, travelling pages and now the new normal ‘social media’. Sunrise hike is the best opportunity to witness that Deja vu effect and get a live experience. Sunrise is the opening of the day and by observing it from a hiking trail, specially from a viewpoint is welcoming the day ahead with open arms. Whether you are a new hiker or an experienced geek, this blogpost is going to help you prepare for an exciting sunrise hike.
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Fresh atmosphere at sunrise
Early morning has the most vibrant energy from all part of the day. The atmosphere is fresh and clean. Majority of people are still in their cozy beds makes it a good choice to take advantage of calm and peaceful environment. Even in rural settings the percentage of people walking up before sunrise is low. Why not make the most out of it and ‘conquers the day before the day conquers you’.
Easy to find parking:
One of the significant advantages of having a sunrise hike is you experience less traffic on road with easy parking available. This saves you a lot of time and hassle managing the road travel to reach a hiking trail. In today’s busy world, time management is a crucial parameter to success.
Trail is all yours
Less traffic on the trail is all you get to experience during your sunrise hike. Well, if you are an extrovert type person who loves hanging around with people do accompany with a partner or a group. For introverts, hiking early in the morning is a best chance to have solitude and peace. Chirping of birds is so clear in the morning, it compels to listen and concentrate. Likewise for a water stream flowing and the sound of nature from the jungle just waking up.
Sunrise hike gives you spectacular views.
Reaching a viewpoint just before the sunrise gives you the opportunity to have spectacular views. Sun rising at the horizon in front of your eyes is absolutely a new and lifetime experience. Every hiker whether a beginner or seasoned should have a sunrise hike in their list of wanderings.
“Opportunities are like sunrises. If you wait too long, you will miss them”.
Sunrise hike helps to ward off depression.
Early morning hike helps to reduce the signs and symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress. It provides mental clarity and emotional balance that is crucial for overall well-being. Establishing a connection with mother nature has been linked to enhance feel good chemicals.
Mid-day heat is avoided by doing sunrise hike.
This is true for tropical regions having extended summer months. Sunrise hike gives you the chance to manage mid-day heat by minimizing the outdoor exposure when the sun is shining and emitting heat.
Sunrise hike makes you an early riser.
Early rising habit is advocated in almost any belief system, religion, and culture. The time just before dawn contains the most energy of all hours of the day. Early risers conquer the day before others even wake up. You might be thinking that I am not a morning person, but there are no morning or evening people. They are just people who are used to waking up early (may be a habit developed since childhood). Maybe, you are one of those people who struggle to wake up early, but who knows developing a habit to rise early and doing sunrise hike can bring the change you are looking for!
How to manage sunrise hike?
Following list is carefully prepared to manage sunrise hike:
- Prepare your bag pack a day before, usually before going to bed.
- Carry nuts, chocolates, and snacks to fuel up energy levels.
- Tea / Coffee can be carried in thermos bottle OR take the essentials to prepare on a hiking trail (Optional).
- Check weather forecast before heading for your sunrise hike.
- Wear clothing in layers as early morning is the coolest part of the day.
- Carry a torch to manage visibility.
- Inform someone about your hiking area, route, and time.
- Carry a hiking stick.
- Wear sturdy shoes according to the environment.
Conclusion
With the right attitude and good preparation, sunrise hike is an excellent opportunity for nature lovers to witness serenity, peace, and soothing environment. In today’s fast paced world, flexibility and diversity are critical elements. Variation in physical activity, be it the time or environment helps the individual achieve daily recommended goal without compromising other tasks.