January 28th, 2016

This was how our parents taught us to love the mountains: They made us feel like part of them. Because, in essence, mountains are like people: To love them, you must first get to know them, and when you do, you can tell when they are angry and when they are happy, how you should handle them, play with them, care for them when people hurt them, when it is better not to annoy them. But unlike any person, the mountains, nature, and the earth are much, much bigger than you are. You must never forget that you are a speck, a speck in space, within the infinite, and they can decide at any moment whether they want to erase that speck or not. Kilian Jornet

Morning y'all,

It's a beautiful, clear morning up top. The high yesterday reached 34 degrees. The overnight low was 20 degrees. It was 27 degrees and clear at 7am observation. The mountain received no new precipitation and there is still around 8 inches of snow remaining, though there are still some deep drifts remaining. The mountain is in a beautiful inversion right now, I suppose it's the time of the season. The trails are rather rugged right now - the snow has frozen over again, so if you posthole in shorts (I might be speaking from experience) you'll cut up your shins and look really cool but be quite uncomfortable. I'd still recommend some sort of traction devices and snowshoes if you intend to reach the top with the least amount of frustration. Get out and enjoy winter's joys!

I went out for a little sunset adventure last night. I'm supposed to be resting up, but I have a new pair of shoes and the air was calm... the trails were calling. I left just in time to dance through the snow and get to Cliff Tops to catch the show. It's always special when there is an inversion (we haven't had nearly as many as last season)... I haven't seen another hiker in days, which adds something to it as well. It's just my life and undisturbed nature and that show of colours.