Morning y'all, It's another beautiful, clear day up top. The high yesterday reached 48 degrees. The overnight low was 32 degrees. It was 34 degrees and clear at 7am observation. The mountain received no new precipitation and there is still no snow on the ground. The trails are sure to have a bit of ice, but nothing serious quite yet. Get out and enjoy these unseasonably warm temperatures! I spent another day relaxing around the cabin, reading at my leisure but mostly just soaking in the joys of a calm weekday up here. My body is acclimating to life up here (drinking water at absurd rates) and I am developing what I feel is a sustainable mental rhythm. It is always a good sign when I can't distract myself with running or hiking, yet still find myself wondering where the afternoon went. I can almost feel my attention span lengthening. Perhaps that's just perception, but either way, it feels real so it is real. It reminds me of doing a few weeks of speedwork on the track during marathon training - you might not be all that much faster, but you think you are. Anyway, I am looking forward to more of these days spent immersed in whatever I choose, totally unaware of time's passing. These moments don't seem to count against you.
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The pounding of What do I want went still in her breast. It didn't matter what she chose. The world was what it was, a place with its own rules of hunger and satisfaction. Creatures lived and mated and died , they came and went, as surely as summer did. They would go their own ways, of their own accord. Barbara Kingsolver Morning y'all, It's another beautiful, dry day up top. The high yesterday reached 40 degrees. The overnight low was 26 degrees. It was 33 degrees and clear at 7am observation. The mountain received no new precipitation. There may still be a little bit of ice in portions of the trail, but nothing to lose sleep over just yet. Get out and enjoy these trails before they become truly wintry! I spent yesterday afternoon on my porch reading. To be honest, I was mostly reading but wasn't too committed with my attention. It was one of those days. The clouds kept me company and they were as lively as good conversation with an old friend. I do not know if there is anyone more enchanted by the Great Cloud's many costumes than I am. Even the best written words on a page are no match for the cloud factory - no offense, Mrs. Kingsolver! The afternoon drifted away until a heavy pea soup fog settled in for the evening. My fancy two hundred lumen headlamp got me maybe ten feet of visibility. It brought back memories of my 3rd season, when a 'problem' bear was wandering the mountain. I saw him next to my cabin in a sister fog and figured I was finally losing it. I walked within ten feet of him before realizing he wasn't a figment of my imagination. I'd never been close enough to smell a real animal. The clouds weren't obscuring as many future memories this time around. Morning y'all, It's a misty morning up top. The high yesterday reached 46 degrees. The overnight low was 27 degrees. It was 31 degrees and cloudy at 7am observation. The mountain received no new precipitation and there is no snow up top. There is sure to be a little bit of ice on the trail, but not so much that I'd expect you to need traction devices. Get out and enjoy this classic Smokies day! I spent yesterday 'taking care' - both of the lodge and myself. I did a variety of chores around the lodge and did everything I could think of to turn this nasty sore throat around. In the mean time, it's been nice to lay low, settle into my cabin, do some daydreaming about my future, re-read one of my favorite books and have the opportunity to catch up with my kindred spirit Dick. Much thanks to my amazing trail angels Sherry, Dick and Ann (thanks for the anti-biotics, beloved Cabot cheese and homemade Pumpkin bread!) - I'm starting to feel much better today. I hope to be back to hiking by Wednesday or so! Morning y'all, It's a beautiful, warm morning up top. The high yesterday reached 39 degrees. The overnight low was 27 degrees. It was 34 degrees and clear at 7am observation. The mountain received no new precipitation yesterday. I would bet that there are still some patches of ice along the trail, but nothing that would require traction just yet. I am stuck up here with a sore throat and a cold, so get out and enjoy the trails for me! Morning y'all, It's another beautiful, clear day up top. The high yesterday reached 28 degrees. The low was 14 degrees, recorded yesterday morning. It was 27 degrees and clear at 7am observation. The mountain received no new precipitation and there is a light dusting of snow on some trails. The trails are in pretty good shape, with a bit of slick ice in a few spots. I would not consider traction devices necessary just yet. Get out and enjoy this beautiful Friday! My friend Katie and I went out for one of my favorite hikes yesterday. We took off at 9:30 and headed out the Boulevard trail, enjoying big views in all directions (so, so good after days of rain & clouds!) of our beloved undulating Smokies. We stirred little flocks of birds from the trees overhead, watched rime ice crumble as it warmed in the sun, and enjoyed the undisturbed single track of the Boulevard. Once we reached the AT, we headed towards Charlie's Bunion to take in the requisite view of my winter home. From there, we headed south on the AT towards Newfound Gap, passing friendly day hikers (everyone says hi in the South!) and hitched down to her car at Alum Cave. From there, we drove to Chimney Tops to get in some scrambling, marvel at last years' Trails Forever work, and take in another view of LeConte. We hiked down Chimney's, then drove back up to Alum and enjoyed the golden glow of another perfect evening on Alum. We topped out just as the sun was setting. The beauty is in the brevity. There is no sorrow that can catch up to you on a 20 mile day in your happy place. Morning y'all, It's a beautiful, hoarfrosty day up top. The high yesterday reached 42 degrees. The overnight low was 14 degrees. It was 15 degrees and clear at 7am observation. The mountain received no new precipitation yesterday. I am sure that the trails are a bit icy today, so be prepared for some slick conditions. Get out and enjoy this beautiful day! The light and colours coming up Alum last night were special. They felt especially warm and vibrant after three days of rain and clouds. All other concerns drop away in the face of this beauty. Morning y'all, It's yet another beautiful, rainy day up top. The high yesterday reached 44 degrees. The overnight low was 41 degrees. It was 42 degrees and raining lightly at 7am observation. The mountain received 2.70 inches of rain yesterday, bringing our 3 day total to 6.50 inches of rain. If it were only 20 degrees colder, I'd be making snow angels in nearly 7 feet of powder! But alas, the trails are saturated and there is still beauty all around. It looks as though this front will pass through later today, so come on up and enjoy the always interesting clearing clouds from a wonderful vantage point. I would still recommend rain gear and a spare pair of socks to change into up top, in addition to the rest of the ten essentials. Enjoy yet another characteristically soggy Smokies day! Yesterday was the perfect day for a big Rainbow-Bullhead loop.Taking two cabin days in a row leads to madness (and it's far too early in the season for that), so a big hike was necessary. The thinking was that after days of rain, there is nothing better than a waterfall. We took off with our trusty hiking umbrellas and started the long descent. The tender way the ground cushioned (then drenched) my trail runners and the distinct smell of the Southern forest in the rain reminded me of long days from my section hike this spring. There are few things better than this brand of nostalgia, embracing the moment yet letting it be interspersed with pleasing memories of wet rhodo-tunnels, damp lunches taken under an umbrella and all the other little joys of primal living. I missed the unique mindset it takes to trudge along in the rain, choosing to look at it as sport rather than agony. Rainbow Falls was delightful as always, churning and roaring in the light drizzle. We continued onward and upward and did not see a soul on Bullhead. Did I mention that it was a perfect day? Morning y'all,
It's another beautiful, rainy day up top. The high yesterday reached 46 degrees. The overnight low was 42 degrees. It was 43 degrees and cloudy at 7am observation. The mountain received 1.10 inches of rain yesterday and there is a bit more in the forecast for today. The trails are sure to be soggy yet again. I would still recommend rain gear and a spare pair of socks to change into up top, in addition to the rest of the ten essentials. Enjoy another characteristically soggy Smokies day! Yesterday was a perfect day to recover from a big hike. I spent the majority of the day cooking little meals, reading on the porch (with calm intermissions for rain watching), meandering around the mountain to shake out the cobwebs, enjoying the quietude... |
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April 2024
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