Comment the Last

2008-08-05 10:27:41.000 – Ted Letcher,  Summit Intern

Flowers amonst the mist in the alpine garden

Cabin fever as defined by Merriam-Webster is “extreme irritability and restlessness from living in isolation or a confined indoor area for a prolonged time.” As the end of the week draws near, the whole staff is starting to feel the effects of cabin fever. This is because the fog and more or less constant threat of thunderstorms has kept everyone confined to the observatory.

Today I fought back! Knowing that the threat of thunderstorms was dismissible, I decided to brave the soupy fog and drizzle to hike down to the alpine garden. While there wasn’t a whole lot to see in the curtain of fog, I still enjoyed my short hike. It was a chance to breathe some mountain air, reflect upon my summer on the mountain, and get some good exercise.

I’ll keep the rest of the comment brief. I won’t go into all the sentimental and clichéd feelings that I may or may not have about the end of my internship. I did that in my last comment. Instead I will briefly educate you on the krumholtz. The krumholtz are very common here on the slopes of Mount Washington and the surrounding mountain ranges. They are small twisted trees that are commonly found just above timberline in mountainous regions of the world. In the Whites, the dominant species in the krumholtz are spruce and fir. They are short (about knee to waist high on the average adult human being) and often deformed because the harsh winds and mountain weather stunt their growth. So next time you are out hiking with your friends and come across a field of krumholtz, impress them by properly identifying the odd little trees.

That’s about all I have for you, I hope you have enjoyed reading my comments throughout the summer.

Ted out.

In other news:

At 7PM Wednesday evening, August 6th, the Subaru Science in the Mountains: A Passport to Science series continues at the Weather Discovery Center in North Conway.

This week we’ll talk with Lance Roth, a meteorologist and science technician at the South Pole live via video conference. He will introduce you to life at the South Pole and his work examining the Aurora Australis.

Admission is FREE but seating is limited so be sure to get there early. Refreshments will also be served. Thanks goes out to Subaru of America, New Hampshire Charitable Foundation – North Country region and 93.5 WMWV for helping to make this series happen!

 

Ted Letcher,  Summit Intern