“The darkest hour is just before the dawn.”
Or so the adage goes. And yes, generally this timeless bit of wisdom is meant to inspire resilience in those struggling through difficult times: “Keep going; it’s bad but it’s almost over.” Taken literally it works, too: The final hours of night, particularly during a coast mountain winter, are the coldest, darkest, least-hospitable hours of the year.
And yet there are those who just can’t get enough. Those hardy souls who awake in the night, don the extra layers and venture into the snowy peaks—by snowmobile or on foot—to be ready when those first golden rays of winter sun finally crack the horizon.
We reached out to a few of them, the photographers and athletes most comfortable amongst the deep blues of pre-dawn and the uncluttered pink silence of a fresh morning atop a powdery white wall. Why do they do it? What drives that hunger? How does it feel out there on the perimeter, meeting each day head-on? What’s life like on the dawn patrol? – Feet Banks
photo & words :: Mason Mashon
riders :: Joe Lax & Joe Loverin
location :: Pemberton Backcountry
“Joe Lax likes to get up psycho early. Wake up at 3 a.m. to get to the trail by 4:30 to be in the alpine by 5 and get on top of these heater lines before anyone could even get there with a helicopter. I mean, he’s not wrong.”
photo & words :: Chris Christie
skiers :: Eric Carter, Paul Greenwood, Marcus Waring
location :: Mount Garibaldi
“I despise alpine starts, but this is quickly forgotten as the sunrise lifts over the horizon and the changing colors bring incredible energy to the day ahead. Cold digits are quickly forgotten as the landscape changes and shadows of the mountains fill with light, revealing the day’s objective. I’ve never regretted a sunrise in the mountains. And that is the first thing I remind myself when the alarm goes off way too early.”
photo & words :: Grant Gunderson
skier :: Casey McHugh
location :: Mount Baker
“I’m big fan of early morning dawn patrols. Winters at Mount Baker don’t see too many sunny days. Often, the first light of the day can be the only few minutes of sun we get, so taking advantage of those early moments is important. It’s also nice to be skiing back down knowing you had a great session when the rest of the world is just starting to show up at the hill to get your sloppy seconds.”
photo & words :: Delaney Zayac
rider :: Joe Lax
location :: Pemberton Backcountry
“We got up at 3 a.m. or something, drove up, and sledded in on frozen crust. Around 4 we hit the alpine, tandemed up to the glacier in the dark and had to hike for about an hour along a techy corniced ridge just as the sun started poking up. It was hard and shitty in a way but so fleeting and ethereal at the same time. Alpine starts are like that, you sneak in before the mountain wakes up and when it all comes together you’re dropping in bathed in golden morning light. It seems otherworldly.”
photo :: Connor Winton
words & rider :: Taylor Godber
location :: Haines, Alaska
“I’d choose sunrise over sunset every time. For clarity of mind can be found in the peaceful moments before dawn, uncluttered by the buzz of the day. I love it. Mornings like these remind me of the power within that comes from the union of purpose and passion. How easy it can be to kick off the sheets or slink out of the cozy sleeping bag into the cold, when the waves are firing or there’s a mountain objective on the schedule. Dark starts are the best starts.”
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