January 5th, 2020

Good day to you all,

I have had an arctic start to my morning! A mere 13 degrees when I walked in the kitchen. Frozen doors and locks made for an interesting approach... We received 4.5 inches of snow yesterday! I woke up to clear, starry skies, fresh snow and a cloud inversion beneath me! Yesterday's high was 35, with an inhospitable low of 13.  The temperature is slowly rising as the morning progresses. There are no clouds above us at the moment, and a sea of clouds continues to cover the valley floor. Highway 441 remains closed as of right now, but Cherokee Orchard is still open. If you are daring enough to hike the mountain today, use extreme caution along the trails. Bring your spikes/crampons if you have them, and pack some extra layers!

01/05/2020

- "I woke up from a deep sleep to an unpleasant alarm. I swung my legs off of the bed and hopped on the wooden floor. It resembled an iceberg, so I knew to layer up. Upon karate kicking the frozen door, I was hit with a bone-chilling gust of wind and powder. If I wasn't awake 5 minutes ago, I sure was now! I shuffled to the kitchen to grab my camera, then I set out to Myrtle Point. With clear skies above and white clouds below, I powered through the powder. Wind pierced through layer after layer as I reached the point, timing was everything. The sun slowly crept over distant hills as I found my perch. Mesmerized, the bitter cold left my mind as I sat back in awe. A moment worthy of applause and tears, an ideal way to start my day..."

- Kemp