just one look and i fell so hard.

For I believe that climate does thus react on man — as there is something in the mountain air that feeds the spirit and inspires. Will not man grow to greater perfection intellectually as well as physically under these influences? Or is it unimportant how many foggy days there are in his life? I trust that we shall be more imaginative; that our thoughts will be clearer, fresher and more ethereal, as our sky — our understanding more comprehensive and broader, like our plains — our intellect generally on a grander scale, like our thunder and lightning, our rivers and mountains and forests, — and our hearts shall even correspond in breadth and depth and grandeur to our inland seas. Thoreau

Morning,

It was a mild, albeit rainy day up top. The high was 38. The low was 34. It was 36 and cloudy at observation. There was .95" of precipitation. There is virtually no snow up top, but much of the ice in the darker corners of the trail will still be present. Be sure to know the limits of your abilities!

As the rain gently falls, I pack away my rain jacket. I want to feel this uniquely (can it be?) Januarian rain. Your mind's tendency is to transport you to a more appropriate venue for 50 degrees and light drizzling, such as an October day. However, the ice on the ground and lack of rich autumnal scents reveal it's Indian summer (or fall?) qualities. Only when we return to the lodge can we look at the calendar and confirm that it is actually a January day.

Top photo: Hiking up Alum. The trees have the same ethereal quality that I imagine is present in the Sierras. Above: Kim displays proper falling technique! Do not try to break your fall. You will just cause a more serious injury. A wet backside is a much more preferable fate than a dislocated shoulder.