February 09th, 2016

The closer you get to real matter, rock air fire and wood, boy, the more spiritual the world is. Kerouac

Morning y'all,

It's a beautiful, snowy morning up top! The high yesterday reached 27 degrees. The overnight low was 2 degrees. It was 2 degrees and cloudy at 7 am observation. The mountain received 7 inches of new snow and our total snow is 7 inches. I hiked up Alum yesterday morning and it was very icy in patches. While the new snow will lend some traction, I would definitely recommend Microspikes if you intend to reach the summit comfortably. As of this posting, 441 is closed. Check on it's progress with this link... Get out and enjoy the day!

I had an absolutely amazing hike up yesterday. Just as my friends and I reached the Alum Cave parking lot, we spoke to a friendly ranger who informed us that they'd likely be closing the road soon. It was dumping snow and road conditions were worsening quickly, but I knew that this would make for a great hike. I changed into my hiking clothes, packed my bag full of goodies and took off. The flurries were falling fast and my cold toes seemed a small price to pay for the opportunity to see the commute I've done hundreds of times be transformed into something new again. I'm always game for a big snow hike, but it's especially nice after all the mild weather we've had this year. Just as I got to the ledges above Alum Cave, it started to clear a bit. The contrast of the bright blue skies and snowed over everything was phenomenal. I didn't see a single person on the trail and the quiet chatter of the forest was overwhelming. I can't wait for more moments that match this special feeling throughout the year to come. Making big memories in the woods is the way to live.