January 01st, 2016

We drink the wine of our own blood, aged in the barrels of our souls. Rumi

Morning y'all,

It's another beautiful day up top. The high yesterday reached 40 degrees. The overnight was 29 degrees. It was 29 degrees and clear at 7am observation. The mountain received no new precipitation or snow, but it is a little bit chillier than it has been. I would be on the lookout for some black ice if you intend to hike up to the summit. I'd recommend carrying some spikes, just in case. Get out and enjoy the new year!

I went out for a sunset hike yesterday... and of course, the one day I forget my camera all season, it is completely spectacular. On the plus side, it was very nice to spend an entire sunset just observing, rather than trying to capture the impossible. We had our first inversion of the season and it was a breathtaking affair. There was a solid cloud cap over Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg, while Thunderhead, Rocky Top and the AT ridgeline loomed large above the sea. The colours were always changing, with a lot of gentle purples and pinks in the clouds stretching out towards Newfound Gap. It felt like a charmed way to say goodbye to 2015.