February 16th, 2017

Don't bend; don't water it down; don't try to make it logical; don't edit your own soul according to the fashion. Rather, follow your most intense obsessions mercilessly. Kafka

Morning y'all,

It's a beautiful, cold morning up top. The high yesterday reached 30 degrees. The overnight low was 9 degrees. It was 13 degrees and clear at 7am observation. The mountain received no new precipitation yesterday and there is still 2 inches of snow remaining up top. The trails are in relatively good shape, but there are still a few slick spots to be aware of. I would recommend Microspikes if you intend to reach the summit and descend safely without incident. Get out and enjoy the wintry weather while it lasts!

I had a pair of wonderful hikes down and up the Alum Cave trail yesterday. We descended before the road opened and didn't see another person on trail. The light was astounding - long stretches in and out of the fog, with the moisture in the air spanning the spectrum of possible beauty. After our isolated descent, we started back up around 5pm. We caught sunset on trail, enjoying the deep reds, oranges and yellows from the ledges above Monotony ridge. The cold, clear night was ideal for watching the stars come out...