the bright blessed day, the dark sacred night.

Going nowhere … isn’t about turning your back on the world; it’s about stepping away now and then so that you can see the world more clearly and love it more deeply. Pico Iyer

Morning y'all,

It's another gorgeous morning up top! The high yesterday reached a ridiculous 54 degrees and the low was 31 degrees. It was 43 degrees and clear at 7am observation. The mountain is above the clouds, yet again. The mountain received no new precipitation and there is still about an inch of snow remaining up top. The trails are quite slick, so be sure to pack some sort of traction if you intend to hike on past Alum Cave.

Top photo, above: I can't even.

I had a fantastic hike up Alum yesterday afternoon. My friend and I lingered in Alum Cave, soaking in the unseasonably warm temperatures. I thought we might need sunscreen. We lingered long, until there was only about an hour of day light with which to make it up to sunset. It was spectacular - the mountain is full of surprises. The perfect slanty golden evening light was otherwordly. We reached the old horse gate right when the sun was setting and discovered that we were still (somehow!) above the clouds. We could not help but laugh at how fortunate we were. The ravens were laughing, too.

In other news, the Mt. LeConte shelter will be closed for the time being. There has been some bear activity and the wildlife department will be monitoring the situation. For current backcountry trail and campsite information, visit the Park Service's website or please call (865) 436-1297