Good Morning, It’s currently 28 degrees and clear up top. Yesterday’s high was 27 degrees, with an overnight low of 7 degrees. We have 6” of snow on the ground. -- Half hidden in the bushes, I awaited sunset’s golden hour. The wind drove relentlessly. I quietly watched the world around me. A cluster of clouds in the distance stole my attention from the setting sun. The atmospheric winds began ripping the cluster apart. Briefly glancing at the setting sun, I focused back on the scattered bundle of clouds above. The moment the sun settled behind the mountains, the clouds above and below ignited with color. Smiling, I released the camera shutter. I woke to a comfortable soreness. Yesterday’s trail-breaking foray along the Boulevard Trail ended up being just what the doctor ordered, a full-body workout. The hardest part of this morning would be leaving my toasty loft, I turned myself on auto-pilot and got dressed. Outside, I checked my weather instruments, pausing to look up at the pre-dawn stars. Ten minutes later, I sat with a hot cup of coffee. Still dazed, I stumbled into the darkness… Onward, Seth I count him braver who overcomes his desires than him who overcomes his enemies, for the hardest victory is victory over self. - Aristotle
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Good morning, It’s currently 8 degrees and clear. We received 1” of snow yesterday evening, giving us 7 inches on the ground. Yesterday’s high was 20 degrees, with an overnight low of 5 degrees. From the reports, I’m hearing on the radio, Hwy 441 is being actively worked on. Keep an eye on the Smoky Mountain Roads twitter page to see when it reopens. Link: https://goo.gl/HikrMr -- Covered and bundled, I was off to Myrtle Point. The lack of sunshine and strong winds pushed the temperature well into negative territory. My coffee, now lukewarm, was hitting the spot. I began my ascent to toward the summit. I followed my foot prints from yesterday’s afternoon run. The bounding steps were barely visible. The wind had reshaped the delicate landscape. I trudged through the drifts. My thoughts soon drifted to yesterday’s run… I was almost to the summit. My breathing, though labored, was synchronized with my cadence. My sunglasses had already saved my eyes from more than one snow laden fir branch. Feeling primal, I broke trail across the summit. The wind was howling when I arrived at Myrtle Point. I quickly staged for sunrise; the hike had taken slightly longer in the snow. Pulling my camera battery from my warm chest pocket, I slid it into the camera and turned on the power. “Battery Exhausted” flashed on my screen. I reached for a back-up battery that wasn’t there. I had left it back at the lodge. Down, but not out, I quietly watched the sunrise and learned my lesson. I was happy just to be there... ...the wind howled. Onward, Seth P.S. – After arriving back to the lodge, I grabbed my back-up battery and marched back out into the cold. The shots above and below were the result. “A man may fail many times but he isn’t a failure until he begins to blame somebody else.” – John Burroughs
Good Morning, It’s currently 17 degrees and snowing. We have over 6” of snow up top. Accumulation slowed yesterday afternoon, but seems to have picked up again. Our high yesterday was 25 degrees, with an overnight low of 16. -- I wandered out. This time, in a new direction. The snow clung heavily to the nearby fir. Where was I trying to go? I wasn’t entirely sure. I ventured out to find something; or rather, I was inviting something to find me. My imagination had me convinced that I had just walked through a wardrobe, into the snowy world of Narnia. Hiking west, I remembered a place that would provide an excellent sitting area out of the falling snow. Maybe I would find what I was looking for there? Sitting still as a statue, I waited. The pure silence was palpable. Suddenly, I found what I’ve been searching for - true solitude. The roads were closed, the snow was deepening, and here I was on the top of a mountain in the middle of a National Park, alone. It had found me. My thoughts were clear and content. I wandered on... …the snow continued to fall. Onward, Seth We live, in fact, in a world starved for solitude, silence, and private: and therefore starved for meditation and true friendship." - C.S. Lewis
1:30PM Update: The snow is still accumulating. We've got close to 5" on the ground up top. All this snow has put me in the mood to bake cookies. Stay warm and safe everyone! *Cherokee Orchard Rd is being closed due to weather conditions. Other roads in the park are also being closed.* Visit the Smokies Road Info twitter page for further information on road closures. Here's the link: https://goo.gl/HikrMr Good morning, Its currently 22 degrees and snowing. The high yesterday was 25 degrees, with an overnight low of 16 degrees. We received 1” of snow, with accumulation continuing. *Hwy 441 between Gatlinburg, TN and Cherokee, NC is closed due to snow and weather* Yesterday afternoon… I quickly stopped to remove my wool sweater. It was cold out, but the hike up Alum Cave has the tendency to warm a hiker at any temperature. I looked down at my overstuffed day pack and laughed. Inside lay a plethora of foods. Including, but not limited to: red cabbage, a bag of onions, sweet potatoes, green peppers, garlic, fritos, nine bananas, a pound of honey, hot sauce, dark chocolate, habanero cheese… the list went on. Feeling postured well for the coming week, I continued my ascent at a steady clip. The lodge came into view just before dark. The world around me looked ominous. My hope for snow was beginning to look promising. I hiked into the kitchen and gently removed my pack. The morning… I woke to a different world than the one I left just eight hours ago. Coffee in hand, I wandered out into the new world of white. Grinning ear to ear as I made fresh tracks up the mountain. My imagination took over. Suddenly, I was in the midst of an exploratory mission to the undiscovered, Myrtle Point. The snow-covered world around me kept track of all the travelers that had come before. There were none… …the snow continued to fall. Onward, Seth We shall not cease from exploration, and the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time.
– T.S. Eliot Good morning, It’s currently 21 degrees and clear. Yesterday’s high made it up to 31 degrees, with an overnight low of 19. -- I woke earlier than usual. Dipping in and out of consciousness, I began wiggling my toes. The morning routine had begun. Wiggling toes turned into squirming legs, and ended with a few sit-ups. The blood now moving, I slid on my overalls and stepped outside. One deep breath and I knew it was below freezing. Savoring the crisp mountain air, I slowly meandered toward the kitchen. With my nose, too close to my cup, I inhaled the savory vanilla notes drifting from my pinon coffee. The radio responded to my weather report, “Good copy, have a great day.” It was time to leave the warmth of the kitchen to seek out a sunrise. The large mass of grey still hovered above Mt. Le Conte. I noticed it during sunset the night before. Creating a roof with a fine line of demarcation, this persistent ceiling blocked the setting and rising of the sun. I made the best of it, capturing the unusual hues that bled through the canopy. Satisfied and partially chilled, I started toward the lodge. As I descended the mountain, a smile broke free. This small taste of winter weather was getting me excited for the days to come. Onward, Seth “Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.”
- Lao Tzu - Good Morning, It’s currently 27 degrees and partly cloudy. Yesterday’s high was 43 degrees, with an overnight low of 28. We received 0.9” of rain yesterday. It’s still gusty up top, but not nearly as windy as yesterday. -- The powerful winds from yesterday’s skirmish continued to gust as I approached Myrtle Point. The cooled temperature gave each puff a stinging bite. Looking out toward the rising sun, a sliver of vastness lay exposed. I let myself get excited. There would be a morning show, albeit a short one. I hope everyone has been enjoying the daily blog and photos! I also hope you all are getting excited for snow. It snowed 2” on my first day up top. I have a bundle of fun photos from that experience, and figured I would share one with you all!! I'll be keeping my fingers crossed for more days like the one below. Until then… Cheers, Seth “And then there is the most dangerous risk of all -- the risk of spending your life not doing what you want on the bet you can buy yourself the freedom to do it later.”
- Randy Komisar - Good morning, The winds have been howling since yesterday evening. It’s currently 40 degrees and cloudy. Our high yesterday was 50 degrees, with an overnight low of 32 degrees. *The park currently has a wind advisory in effect until 4:00PM* -- There was no welcoming sunrise this morning. Instead, I felt as if I had stepped into a clash between the wind and the forest. The beautiful green tunnel I wandered through just the day before, had transformed into a solemn damp corridor. The dense fir and spruce served as protectors from the constant squalls along the south face. The forest above moved as if it were in a trance, braving the assault. The veteran trees calmly waved me forward, showing their strength and experience. Evidence of past trials lay all around; ice, wind, and the Adelgid continue to transform the mountain. The calm serenity along the north face quickly disappeared. The exposed ridge leading to Myrtle Point howled with intensity. I approached the front lines. From above, a raven barked an unknown order. I quickly spotted an acrobatic warbler bolting for cover. I took the hint and tucked in behind the rocks atop the point. Safe from the winds, I scribbled observations into my notebook. The raven barked new orders; others chimed in, relaying the command. I began toward home. I stayed vigilant and aware as I marched. The steady orange glow of kerosene lanterns welcomed me back. My morning tour was over. Outside, the battle raged on… Until next time, Seth "Kites rise highest against the wind - not with it"
- Winston Churchill Good Morning, It is currently 36 degrees and clear up top. Yesterday’s high was 43 degrees, with an overnight low of 27. -- Last night’s super moon had Mt. Le Conte under strict surveillance. Nothing escaped the spotlight. I ventured up to Cliff Tops late in the evening to see the world glowing around me. Silent and content, I walked back to my loft. I woke late in the night, the world around brighter than before. A strong temptation to wander pulled. I reluctantly declined the moon’s invitation, securing my spot on the sunrise roster. I woke again, this time for sunrise. The world still glowing as the moon finished up the last hour of his graveyard shift. I stumbled up the trail, stiff from the lactic acid pooling in my sore legs. The daily mountain runs were beginning take their toll. My thoughts began to drift. I looked up through the green tunnel to see the mountains coming to life. I quieted my thoughts, the show was about to begin… Onward, Seth “I learned this, at least, by my experiment: that if one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.”
- Henry David Thoreau - Good morning, It’s currently 33 degrees and cloudy up top. We had a high yesterday of 47 degrees, with an overnight low of 29. There has been an oscillation of the lodge being above the clouds and completely submerged in them. -- Throughout the last couple days, life up top has been reminiscent of nearly forgotten fairytales, a different reality. The clouds, a thousand feet below, blanketed the world. Every time I stepped outside, I would give an audible, “Wow”. In addition to living above the clouds, I’ve had the privilege of swapping stories with winter caretakers from generations past. Their knowledge of the mountain and its history has left me enriched and grateful. I hope you have a restful Sunday. See you up the trail, Seth P.S. - With limited service up on the mountain, I’m not able to respond to many comment questions individually. If I see a repeating question, I’ll do my best to address it in this section of the blog. P.S.S. – That being said, folks have been asking about what camera I’m using up here on the mountain. I’m currently shooting with a Sony A6300 with a Zeiss 16-70 lens. I have this lightweight setup mounted on a tripod so I’m able to capture crisp photos in the low light affiliated with dusk and dawn. "Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things."
- Robert Brault - Good morning, It’s currently 37 degrees and cloudy up top. Out high yesterday made it up to 47 degrees, with an overnight low of 35 degrees. -- The mountain was cloaked in an ethereal mist as I wandered into the morning grey. From the looks of the woods around me, my morning would be enjoyed in a cloud. I learned long ago that you can’t catch fish if you don’t wet a line. I strode on. My stubbornness paid off. Sandwiched between the clouds, the sun’s soft light peered through the layers. I soaked up the moment with all I had. The clouds quickly closed in, leaving me lost in thought. I hope you have an adventurous Saturday. See you up the trail, Seth Our ability to perceive quality in nature begins, as in art, with the pretty.
It expands through successive stages of the beautiful to values as yet uncaptured by language. ~Aldo Leopold~ |
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April 2024
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