Monday, January 20th, 2020

Good afternoon all,

The cold is upon us! I am sitting in my cabin seeking shelter, the bottom half of my room is a walk-in freezer and the top half is a sauna! Condensation is slowly vanishing from the windows, and the sun is here and accounted for. Right now, it's 17 degrees with clear skies above, dragon's breath below. A slight coating of snow resides on the mountain, as does a hefty amount of ice! Temperatures are expected to stay fairly low throughout the day, getting even chillier this evening! Wind chills could drop below zero at and around the summit... If you plan on climbing LeConte today, be on the lookout for ice and downed trees towards the top. In addition, layer up! Freezer-like temperatures make travel outside lethal if you're not prepared! Shaded spots along the trail can be significantly colder than exposed spots, especially when the wind is involved. After making a rash decision to walk to Myrtle Point early this morning, I can tell you first hand the Jack Frost is hiding in these woods somewhere. Good layers to protect your core, and warm gloves/socks are must-haves in conditions like these. Watch your step out there, and try to get off the mountain before dark!

Yesterday's high was a mere 21 degrees, with a low (get ready for it) of 3! Clear skies and high winds dominated most of the day. Sunset was fast approaching, when out of nowhere, a sea of white clouds overtook the mountain! No clouds were expected, so sunset looked out of the picture. I ended up walking to Cliff Tops anyway to try my luck, and flurries of snow began to fall. Light snow would come and go through the night, leaving us with a trace amount in the morning! Weather should stay primarily clear until this weekend, with hefty amounts of snow in the forecast for Friday and Saturday! I'm keeping my fingers crossed, and I'll update you all as the week progresses!

01/20/2020

"6:32 a.m. In a incoherent haze, I turned my alarm off and rose from my bed, a good sleep it was. Stepping onto my strategically-placed wool blanket, I felt the bitter cold rush up my bare legs. I knew what resided beyond the front door. I quickly threw on a layer for every year I've been on this earth and reached for the door. Inhospitable winds filled the room instantly, I was now fully awake! A mere 5 degrees outside, wind chill was sub-zero. The valley below was concealed by an ocean of white clouds. A light pink haze rested just above the bellowing clouds, growing brighter as time went on. Setting out for sunrise was risky, but I couldn't pass this one up! Boots crunching with every step, walking was difficult with the amount of clothing I had on. The mountain had a light coating of white, while the predawn sky grew pink. Upon arrival, I was truly blown away by the breath of the dragon. As the sun unveiled, the cloud sea burned yellow gold, nothing could compare. The once bitter cold was replaced with warm as I captured the sun in its glory..."

-Kemp