Being a well-known and classic hike, summiting the top of Mount Timpanogos is not a hike to get away from others. Nor is it a trail to watch the sunset peacefully by yourself. Waking up at the trailhead after only about five hours of sleep to hike seven miles to the summit, racing the sun, is best done with others.

Heading up in the middle of the night, you can hardly see your surroundings. At best, you can see the outlines of the mountain ridges, the moonlight reflecting off cliffs faces, and a stream of lights from the hikers’ headlamps leading you to the summit. The rest of the landscape is left for your mind to create.

Reaching the summit, you may be shocked by the number of people and the lack of spots to rest, by how cold it gets after you stop moving, or by the valley of stars created by the city lights. But after a while, when the sun comes up, you see exactly where you are. The light peaks over the mountains and illuminates the valley below. And on the way down, you might be shocked to see just how different the surroundings are than what you imagined.