New Hampshire Winter Sunrise Elopement: Sarah & Kevin

On a cold December morning in the midst of the first major snowstorm for northern New England of the year we woke early and drove in the dark the the trailhead in the northern Presidential Range of New Hampshire. The White Mountain National Forest was without a trace of snow except for high on the mountain peaks. A very rare sight for this time of year.

Sarah and Kevin arrived minutes after us and we started the hike in the dark with only the dim light of our headlamps to guide us through the dark forest. It was cold, but there wasn’t a trace of wind. It was still and peaceful.

Eventually we came to a river crossing. If you ever need a challenge in life try crossing a mountain river in the winter with black ice on the rocks under the cover of darkness. Somehow none of us fell in. As we hiked on we began to emerge onto various overlooks and a faint pink light glowed in the distance. How does the saying go? Red sky in the morning, sailor take warning? An old trick to let sailors know a storm is on the horizon. The glow intensified turning the mountains purple.

When we reached our destination this lighthearted couple had no need for wedding attire. They simply came as they were to get married and start the beginning of the rest of their lives together. Even without the snow the moody December morning in the White Mountains was full of the beauty of nature.