Can't see the runway?! Pilot-controlled lights at Wheeling give us trouble

Night student pilot cross-country to Wheeling KHLG in the Cessna 172, coming in after the tower has closed. We try to get the runway lights on but either aren't activating them correctly or they are too dim from our angle to see until we're right on top of the airport.

[@Unknown_Ooh]

Is that runway seriously that dark or was that just your camera?

[@joshmc]

The runway was really that dim -- very tough to make out until we were almost on top of it!