At the break of dawn amidst the rugged grandeur of Seneca Rocks, an old adage of the wilderness resonates: the early bird beholds the most mesmerizing sights. During the hush of the preceding night, warm winds performed a ballet, gracefully ascending the jagged visage of the stones. As these currents ascended, they expanded and cooled in a captivating process known as adiabatic cooling. Upon meeting the dew point, a mystic veil of fog weaved itself around the landscape.

Emerging from the cocoon of my campsite, my eyes met with a breathtaking tableau: the final wisps of fog lovingly embracing the timeworn crags. Yet, like many of nature’s grand displays, its duration was ephemeral. In a mere heartbeat of the day – about 20 minutes – the misty shroud disappeared, engraving a moment of Seneca’s dawn enchantment forever on the camera.