On our bus trip from the southern tip of Israel, through the Sinai Peninsula, in reverse route of the Israelite Exodus from Egypt. We stopped overnight at the base of the traditional Mt. Sinai and at 1:00 A.M. we began our ascent of the mountain on a path that had been roughly hewn out for such pilgrimages. We arrived near the peak at about 4:00 A.M. and waited in an unheated tin hut, with temperatures in the 20's F., for it to get light enough for our final ascent to the summit, for sunrise.
November 2011Showing 1-52 of 521411 visitsAlbum by John E. KellerPhotos by John E. Keller
enlarge 60KB, 800x531 1 Trail to St. Catherine's Monastery-1897 The hike to the top of Mt. Sinai began at 1:00 AM. We reached a hut near the summit about an hour before sunrise.
enlarge 43KB, 800x531 2 DSC 2017 Sunrise from the traditional Mt. Sinai near St. Catherines Monestary
enlarge 48KB, 800x531 3 DSC 2067 Sunrise from the traditional Mt. Sinai
enlarge 42KB, 800x531 4 DSC 2070 Sunrise from the traditional Mt. Sinai
enlarge 37KB, 800x531 5 DSC 2132 Sunrise from the traditional Mt. Sinai
enlarge 54KB, 800x531 6 DSC 2165 Sunrise from the traditional Mt. Sinai
enlarge 79KB, 800x531 7 DSC 2173 Sunrise from the traditional Mt. Sinai
enlarge 74KB, 800x531 8 DSC 2179 Greek Orthodox chapel at sunrise from the traditional Mt. Sinai
enlarge 60KB, 800x531 9 DSC 2188 Sunrise from the traditional Mt. Sinai
enlarge 75KB, 800x531 10 DSC 2192 Sunrise from the traditional Mt. Sinai
enlarge 79KB, 800x531 11 DSC 2199 Sunrise from the traditional Mt. Sinai
enlarge 83KB, 800x531 12 DSC 2232 Sunrise from the traditional Mt. Sinai
enlarge 66KB, 800x531 13 DSC 2233 Sunrise from the traditional Mt. Sinai
enlarge 35KB, 800x531 14 DSC 2235 Sunrise from the traditional Mt. Sinai
enlarge 57KB, 800x531 15 DSC 2255 Sunrise from the traditional Mt. Sinai
enlarge 55KB, 800x531 16 DSC 2278 Sunrise from the traditional Mt. Sinai
enlarge 44KB, 800x531 17 DSC 2291 Sunrise from the traditional Mt. Sinai
enlarge 50KB, 900x286 18 Mt. Sinai Panorama 6
enlarge 75KB, 800x531 19 DSC 2355-Edit
enlarge 51KB, 900x395 20 Mt. Sinai Panorama 5-
enlarge 68KB, 800x531 21 Mt. Sinai-2306
enlarge 58KB, 800x531 22 Mt. Sinai-2299 The trail visible in valley below was the beginning of this trek.
enlarge 90KB, 900x452 23 Mt. Sinai Panorama 4-
enlarge 77KB, 531x800 24 Chapel on Mt. Sinai-2265
enlarge 28KB, 900x341 25 Sunrise on Mt. Sinai Panorama 6-
enlarge 33KB, 900x253 26 Sunrise on Mt. Sinai Panorama 4-
enlarge 41KB, 900x372 27 Sunrise on Mt. Sinai Panorama 3-
enlarge 35KB, 900x280 28 Sunrise on Mt. Sinai Panorama 2-
enlarge 33KB, 900x295 29 Sunrise on Mt. Sinai Panorama-
enlarge 58KB, 800x531 30 Sunrise on Mt. Sinai-2173
enlarge 36KB, 800x531 31 Sunrise on Mt. Sinai-2164
enlarge 35KB, 800x531 32 Sunrise on Mt. Sinai-2129
enlarge 36KB, 900x500 33 Sunrise on Mt. Sinai-2120
enlarge 56KB, 800x531 34 Sunrise on Mt. Sinai-2110
enlarge 55KB, 900x545 35 Sunrise on Mt. Sinai-2100
enlarge 43KB, 800x531 36 Sunrise on Mt. Sinai-2095
enlarge 59KB, 800x531 37 Sunrise on Mt. Sinai-2081
enlarge 37KB, 900x468 38 Sunrise on Mt. Sinai-2077
enlarge 38KB, 800x531 39 Sunrise on Mt. Sinai-2067
enlarge 41KB, 800x531 40 Sunrise on Mt. Sinai-2047
enlarge 34KB, 800x531 41 Sunrise on Mt. Sinai-2017
enlarge 32KB, 900x461 42 Sunrise on Mt. Sinai-2001
enlarge 95KB, 800x584 43 Rest Hut on Mt. Sinai-1981 We waited for sunrise for over an hour, with temperature in the low 20's F. and the wind blowing. The coldest I have ever been, even after growing up in rural Nebraska. The thin walls of the hut, the flannel shirt, plus a sweat shirt and light jacket were not enough protection from the cold.
enlarge 88KB, 800x531 44 Rest time on Mt. Sinai-1961
enlarge 73KB, 800x531 45 Rest time on Mt. Sinai-
enlarge 99KB, 800x531 46 Rest Hut on Mt. Sinai-1917
enlarge 71KB, 800x515 47 Tea Time Mt. Sinai-1909
enlarge 55KB, 800x513 48 Privy on Mt. Sinai-1918
enlarge 73KB, 800x531 49 Mt. Sinai-2348 Beverages, snacks, and souvenirs waited for us, as we began our trek back down the mountain.
enlarge 100KB, 531x800 50 Mt. Sinai-2346 These shelters were the only protection from the wind and cold as we waited for sunrise.
enlarge 143KB, 800x531 51 DSC 2378 Descent from Mt. Sinai
enlarge 81KB, 800x531 52 St. Catherine's Monastery
