August 27, 2017

Reach for the sky! The Grass of Parnassus...such a marvelous flower.

Good Afternoon,
     It's a subdued Sunday on the mountain, as the clouds continue to cling to us, and a recent sprinkle has made good on the rain prediction.  We're expecting a big crowd tonight, but so far the day hiker traffic has been minimal. Yesterday's high temperature came in at 62 degrees, and our overnight low was a mild 50.  We're in the upper 50's currently.  Excellent sleeping weather, combined with the effects from a fantastic feast prepared for the crew by Heather.  Yums!

Signs of life (and Autumn?) in one of the burn areas west of the lodge.

     The scene around the mountain is beginning to take on the mood that summer is on its way out.  Temperatures have of course been relatively steady for weeks now, but many of the wildflowers that began to pop in July have mostly gone to seed.  There's still plenty of vivid color around camp to garner your attention, but already the leaves on some Mountain Ash trees are changing.  It's a mixture of light greens, a few yellows, but mostly brown at this point.  We won't really begin to see a dramatic shift for several more weeks yet.
     That's right.  Autumn leaf chasing season is coming quick!  The 2017 season now has fewer than three months remaining, so hopefully you can squeeze a visit into your schedule if you haven't yet been able to this year.  Alum Cave, The Boulevard, Brushy Mountain, and Trillium Gap are of course open to hikers 24/7.  Rainbow Falls is closed during the week (Monday-Thursday) for its trail rehabilitation work, and of course Bull Head remains closed indefinitely due to fire and storm damage.
​     Enjoy the remainder of your weekend!