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2006-03-18 09:23:56.000 – Jim Salge,  Observer

Rime on a wire…

Overnight, the clouds lowered below the peak, creating a nice undercast to the west of the mountains at daybreak. Temperatures rose above zero for the first time in 36 hours, and winds died off nicely allowing the entire crew to stroll about the summit. The mountain was quick to make up for lost scenes and vistas! Clouds surrounded the peak, the fox was out and about, the ravens were soaring overhead, and a red-tailed hawk even flew by the windows (a first for me).

To me, the most stunning sight this morning was the soft rime ice formations everywhere around the summit. Temperatures around zero create a very soft type of rime ice, and the feathers coated everything from the ground to the towers. The picture at right shows how much rime ice has accumulated in the past 24 hours. The cylinder of ice that you see is coating a half inch steel cable, used to hold town the A-frame in winter.

Another neat rime formation around the summit is always the rime on the deck railing. The feathers grow off of each rung, but allow light to filter between them. This shot shows some of the detail of the ice at sunrise, as well as a wider shot for perspective!

The scene is quickly fading though, as the undercast is quickly rising up to swallow the peak. It was nice while it lasted!

Jim Salge,  Observer