Bring me laughter all the while. In this world where we live there should be more happiness3/11/2012
Yesterday was one of those days when you take your shoes off and walk around to feel every little pebble and crunchy leaf under your feet. The sun warmed up the rocks at Myrtle Point and made for a great napping location. The high yesterday was 48. There were a lot of day hikers wandering around the mountain. The low last night was 28 and it is currently 33 degrees.
We finished up crew business and most of the crew left the mountain for a week of rest. They will return in time to get the lodge set up for guests. Introducing the 2012 t-shirt design. All right folks, I know some of you are wanting to hike up to get your shirt, here is how it works for the next week. We do not open until the 19th. You may take your chances and hike up this week. If there is someone around camp, we will be more then happy to sell you a shirt. Understand that most of the crew is going down today, so there are only a few of us on the mountain. We ARE NOT GUARANTEEING that someone will be in camp to sell you a shirt before we officially open.
Yesterday turned out to be a nice day. The high was 44 with a low of 22 last night. It is currently 32 and the sun is shining. It is going to be a perfect day on the mountain. There was enough of a break in the clouds to fly in our last bit of propane. The airlift is over for 2012. Time to get the lodge in order for our first night of guests on the 19th.
The current temperature is 30 degrees. It has cooled off a lot in the last 24 hours. Yesterday was in the high 40s. The Appalachian Trail Conference volunteers are on the mountain. They are working so hard to put in a new privy. I will keep you posted on their progress, in case you want to hike up to check out their handy work. The wind was relentless yesterday, but we managed to get a few trips in. Most of our supplies are on the mountain. Just a few more trips and we will be finished. Today is not looking so good. The low last night was 26. It is currently 36 and the clouds are blanketing the mountain. I don't think they are going to move out anytime soon. The weather forecast is not calling for another clear day until Saturday. As those of you who have visited the mountain know, you never know what the weather will do on top of Mt. LeConte.
What a great day for an airlift. We ate breakfast and started work immediately. We flew from 7:30 in the morning until 6 at night. A large portion of the supplies made it up the mountain. We still need the clouds to move out this morning so we can finish with the propane. The temperatures were in the 40s all day yesterday. Last nights low dropped down to 20 and it is currently 30 degrees, cloudy, and extremely windy.
The clouds finally blew off the away from the mountain and gave us a chance to start the airlift. The temperatures hovered in the mid teens so it made for a cold day. The temperature is currently in the 30s this morning. It is going to be a balmy day on the mountain. We are getting started early this morning so I will keep this short and sweet. I have supplies to unload.
JP was able to wake up his last day to another inch of snow. It was clear and cold all day yesterday. We never saw temperatures above 14 degrees. The low last night was 13 and it is currently 15.
The clouds are moving in and the winds are blowing hard. This is not a good combination for an airlift. Highway 441 is currently closed due to ice and snow. It is not looking good for flying today. I guess it is time to clean some more. “No one realizes how beautiful it is to travel until he comes home and rests his head on his old, familiar pillow.” – Lin Yutang It feels great to be back on the mountain. Chris and I are starting our 10th year as the residents managers. I look forward to sharing this season with each and every one of you. I know I speak for everyone when I say, I sure will miss JP's eloquent prose. He certainly does have a way with words. It sounds as though he is planning on returning next winter in hopes of experiencing a true "LeConte winter". The weather forecast is predicting winter may still visit the mountain. The trees were covered in hoar frost this morning. The temperature up top is currently 13 degrees. It never pushed above 30 yesterday. The crew is slowly making their way back to work. It is time to get the lodge ready for the first over night guests. I must say, I was ready to return to my mountain home. Chris and returned from the Grand Canyon a few days ago. We had an eventful winter. We trained everyday for my first marathon. It was a great winter for running outside. I know JP would have preferred a different scenario, but I appreciated the spring like weather during January. The marathon was in February. I finished my first and Chris finished his second full race. I am hooked. I see more in our future. A week and half after the race, we took off for the Grand Canyon. Our backpacks packed to the brim, we led a group of friends into the canyon. Our first night was spent at the campground next to Phantom Ranch. It was fun to experience the LeConte of the west. Although, they cheat a little by having electricity. It was enjoyable, non the less. The next day we hiked half way out and spent the night at another camp site. Chris made a delicious dinner for us to enjoy on the plateau. I felt like I was at the Cliff Tops of the canyon. It was an exquisite location for the best burrito I have ever eaten. After our tough hike out of the canyon we headed to Vegas for a few days of rest and relaxation. I will admit, Vegas makes me appreciate my mountain home. It feels great to be home and gearing up for the new season. I am excited to see what year number 10 will bring. I hope you all enjoy the next 8 1/2 months with me. I am grateful for what I am & have. My thanksgiving is perpetual. It is surprising how contented one can be with nothing definite - only a sense of existence. Well anything for variety. I am ready to try this for the next 1,000 years, & exhaust it. How sweet to think of! My extremities well charred, and my intellectual part too, so that there is no danger of worm or rot for a long while. My breath is sweet to me. O how I laugh when I think of my vague indefinite riches. No run on my bank can drain it - for my wealth is not possession but enjoyment. Thoreau Morning,
It was a very dynamic, rainy day yesterday. The wind was gusting all afternoon and we received some heavy winds and lightning in the evening. The mountain received 1.23" of rain last night. The high was 47 degrees and the low was 27 degrees. It was 27 degrees and clear with some gorgeous inversion this morning. Allyson will be on the mountain this afternoon and will take over the blog for the season. I will be taking off on Monday to visit family & friends before my new job starts in New Hampshire. Here is the exciting place I'll be working for the Spring. A big thanks to everyone at the Lodge, especially Tim, Chris & Allyson. I had a fantastic time and am so grateful to have had the opportunity to winter up here. _Morning,
It was another great day on the mountain yesterday. The high was 45 degrees. The low was 36 degrees. It was 45 and cloudy at observation. It looks like it'll be a bit rainy today, but warm (for 'winter', anyway). Be prepared to get wet, as the trails are already draining a lot of water. I had a great hike down & up Alum yesterday morning and afternoon. I was able to hike in both 'magic hours', when there is hardly anyone on the trail and the light has that unique, unpredictable quality at the beginning and end of the day. I was able to squeeze in another creek bath before I take off sometime this weekend. There was an unspoken anticipation in the air, as the flowers and birds all seemed to think warmth and abundance was on the horizon. I hope they are right! |
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April 2024
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