Artist Point Snowshoe, Huntoon Point Snowshoe — Thursday, Apr. 17, 2025

The road to the parking lot is dry and clear. The temperature at the parking lot was 33F when I left the car in the dark under the stars at 4:55am. I followed the heavily tracked snow-buried road to the top with snowshoes the entire way. The snow is icy, hard packed and easy going with traction. Sunrise from Huntoon Point was spectacular as usual. The ski lifts are closed until Friday and the weekend (their last, I think). I did not see anyone else until about 8:00am on my descent. A waning gibbous Moon was often visible along the western horizon. This month is the Major Lunar Standstill where the Moon reaches its highest declinations above and below the Earth’s equator since June 2006 which will now start decreasing until reaching the next Minor Lunar Standstill (where its declinations above and below the Earth’s equator are about ten degrees less) in March 2035.