Moonset Over Mount Washington – A Long-Awaited Alignment
Since I began focusing my photography on landscapes in 2017, I’ve been chasing a specific shot: the full moon setting behind Mount Washington in the White Mountains. This composition only aligns a few times annually—and only from a few treeless summits that offer a clear, unobstructed view of the Presidential Range. I’ve tried for this image multiple times over the years, but something always got in the way—underestimating how many hours the hike will take, family, work, and general life, but mainly in New England, clouds, clouds, clouds, and more clouds.
For this attempt, I hit the trail at 7 p.m. and hiked through falling snow to reach the Imp Shelter by 12:30 a.m. After just over two hours of sleep, I was back on the move by 3 a.m. Six inches of fresh snow had buried the trail, and I was still recovering from a recent back injury. The cold was biting, and I was running on fumes. The final 2.5 miles felt endless in the dark.
I reached the overlook with less than 10 minutes to spare. The wind was howling, my hands were frozen, and I barely had enough time to scramble into position and fire off a few frames before the moon dipped behind Mount Washington’s summit.
This lineup was the moment I’d been chasing for years. The Presidential Range lit up with soft morning light, the full moon setting behind the peak of Mount Washington. The bonus was the beautiful snow-covered trees sweeping across the foreground. It was breathtaking, raw, and worth every frozen step of the 12-mile journey.
Prints are available here:
