30th January, 2020. An inversion day blanketed the Columbia River Gorge in a thick fog. My friend and I embarked on a sunrise adventure to the summit of Stacker Butte in Washington. We'd scouted the trail before, but this morning, 4.30 am darkness and an eerie fog absorbed the trailhead. My car headlights struggled to pierce the mist. Our ears crept when we heard the haunting coyotes in the near distance when we grabbed our backpacks to start our hike. Doubt invaded me, should we go? would the fog obscure the sunrise, leaving us with nothing but chilled fingers and foggy disappointment? Would the coyotes follow us and eat us? Was this even worth it? Why I was here and not in bed? 
I am happy we didn’t stop there. Two miles in, my world shifted. We rose above the mist, greeted by a breathtaking panorama. OH MY GOD I yelled, I don’t remember ever been above the cloud with this beautiful colors!! Mount Hood, the majestic giant of Oregon, stood there, bathing in the soft glow of dawn. Looking east, pinks, purples, oranges, and magentas radiated across the horizon, dancing with the wispy remnants of the cloud we'd just passed through. I held my breath, what to photograph first? I remember I did a first shot looking east, the wave of fog was just mesmerizing. It was a fast moving cloud. Right after, I thought, it’s Mount Hood’s turn, who was still on the dark veil about to receive the first light. 
 
This photo, frozen in time, captures the fleeting magic I felt that morning: goosebumps of  achievement. Looking at Mount Hood above the fog, was a moment to reflect that even when covered in doubt, the potential for wonder and beauty always lies just beyond the next step.