A Great End To Winter Trip Season!

2015-04-04 19:58:53.000 – Adam Freierman, Summit Intern

Last night at the Observatory our shift hosted our final climbing trip of the season. Throughout the winter it has been a pleasure welcoming climbing trips and educational overnight trips into our home on the summit. These folks always arrive at the Observatory with enthusiasm to get an extended peek at life on top, and usually a bit of gratefulness to have a refuge from the wild weather outside. Eight days on top of a mountain in winter can feel like a lot longer, and it is nice to have these guests to break up the week and to share our excitement with. It is a rewarding experience to take guests up into the tower and have the fog break at just the right moment for them to catch a glimpse of what lies beyond.

The climbing trip yesterday arrived a little later than normal, as they took their time enjoying the nice soft snow and views in the warm spring sunshine. They were sure to make an early start of it this morning however. When I went out to retrieve the precipitation can at 7:30 there was a fresh and fluffy couple inches blanketing everything underfoot, and snow was falling vertically making for the most tranquil morning I’ve experienced here. It wasn’t long though before we were right back in full-blown and full-blowing winter conditions, with winds gusting to almost 100 mph by lunchtime and snow blasting our windows. While we now have a stretch of quieter shifts before the Cog and Auto Road open to mark the beginning of the summer season, I’m sure the weather will keep things plenty interesting.

Adam Freierman, Summit Intern