Now to the technical information. The trails are going to be a wreck this morning. We had more snow yesterday during the evening. The temperatures warmed up to a little above freezing which turned the snow to rain. It then dropped again, freezing the concoction. It is now a slushy, wet, cold mess. If you are day hiking today, please keep this in mind. You will need a good pair of water proof boots to keep you feet warm. Bring extra clothes to change into at the top of the mountain. Better yet, today is a great day to stay inside around the fire and read a good book. I wish I could do that.
Now, as for people hiking up with their kids for a their reservations. You do not need to spend the money on "micro spikes". Yak Traks are just fine for the hike up and they cost a fraction of the price. Garbage bags are great for protecting their feet from the wet snow. Just make sure you bring extra clothing for them to change into when they get here. Also, make sure they drink plenty of water on the hike up and make sure they have yummy snacks to munch on. The extra calories will help them make it up the mountain and still have energy to make snow men when they get here. Plenty of children have made it to the top in these conditions. They will do better then you could even imagine. One suggestion, I did notice several families hiking up for the same night stay up top. You may find it helpful to meet up at the trail head and hike up together. The kids will have fun meeting new friends and it will help take their mind off the hike. Just a suggestion.