March 16, 2017

Good Frosty Morning to You,
     It turned out to be one of those magical mountain days yesterday. Even the chilly temperatures couldn't dampen everyone's glee and appreciation of nature's wintry beauty.  Our high temp struggled to reach 8 degrees, and our low this morning at observation was 0.  We received no new precipitation, but our snow total remains at 7".  It's still quite breezy at times which can cut right through you without the proper layering.

New Lodge with teeth!

     The crew took care of its chores quickly and efficiently in the first half of the day, the majority of which was spent outside shoveling one last time (hopefully).  Aside from redoing the paths between all buildings, this included clearing the helicopter landing pad and propane fields.  Other tasks required laying sideways in the snow next to buildings, which contrary to what one might think, didn't feel too bad in the sun, even at 2 degrees!

Yesterday's slow trek up the backside of Cliff Tops was full of admiration.

     The second half of the day was spent as it should've been, soaking up the beauty that blanketed the mountain around us.  The clouds continued to lift and thin throughout the day, affording views down into the Tennessee Valley.  Several of the crew members took afternoon jaunts to Myrtle Point and/or Cliff Tops, and from the conversations I heard, no one came back disappointed.  It's days like this that tend to stand out when you look back on a lodge season...the snow, the solitude, and the scenery combine to form one mesmerizing masterpiece of mountain majesty.  Looking at densely caked trees in white with a backdrop of the purest blue you've ever seen just never gets old.

Chimney Tops, standing as tall and proud as ever!

     We're still waiting on US 441 to reopen, so your best option for ascending the mountain remains Cherokee Orchard.  It appears as though the weather will turn in our favor for the long haul starting today.  You will want traction devices once you cross the snowline, but expect things to turn slushy in a hurry as all of this snow melts in the coming days.  Have a great day!

Perhaps my most photographed tree ever.