January 11th, 2017

We complain incessantly about the "fast pace of modern life," and say that we have "no time". But of course most of us have lots of time, or else every study wouldn't show that we watch three or four or five hours of television a day. It's that time the way it really works has come to bore us. Or at least make us nervous, the way that silence does, and so we need to shut it out. We fill time, instead of letting it fill us. Bill McKibben

Morning y'all,
It's a cloudy, rainy morning up top. The high yesterday reached 38 degrees. The overnight low was 20 degrees. It was 38 degrees and raining lightly at 7am observation. The mountain received .21 inches of rain last night, leaving only patchy snow remaining up top. The trails are sure to be slick today, so be prepared for wet conditions. Get out and enjoy this quiet day!
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Top photo: Fox or bobcat tracks out at Myrtle Point. Above: Forest wanders near the summit.

I was feeling a bit under the weather the past few days and decided to try to run the congestion out of my system. I went really slowly and carefully, picking my way across the snow in delicate footsteps. I was worried about hitting a patch of black ice, but mostly the anxiety dissipated in the endorphins. It felt good to reclaim my body again and be out in the world. I made it out to Myrtle and admired some lone fox tracks who made it out there before me. I went to Cliff Tops, admired the wind, then butt slid down the steeper path to the lodge. It was only about 2 miles, but it did wonders for my mind. This is the time of the year where I am forced to slow down, to enjoy the sights and breathe deep in the wilderness instead of trying to use the mountains as a test of fitness. While the adaptation requires patience at times, it is good for the mind. It brings a different kind of calm.