Spirit and MoonTide the foxes

2009-01-23 16:16:15.000 – Jordan Scampoli,  Summit Intern

Peekaboo

It has been 143 days since I began interning up here at the Observatory – not straight through of course, but 10 shift weeks after my first fateful trip up as a scared little junior intern (thanks Jeff). Now I’m a big bad senior intern (sorry Ali), and a little nervous that I only have 95 days left before I’m out of here.

The first week of my internship I saw the foxes that sometimes loiter around the summit looking for a free meal. This morning watching a beautiful sunrise sandwiched between an undercast and clouds overhead, one hundred forty something days later my two old friends made a reprise. While I was walking off the summit cone to have a look around, they came jumping over some rocks to say hello, and together we enjoyed each others company (I enjoyed theirs at least) and the beginning of a new day.

With more than half of my time on the summit behind me now, I’m trying to take advantage of every minute up here. Time spent working, hiking, skiing and eating are becoming more significant as my remaining time wanes. I hope I can continue to learn as much as I have learned since September – learn from the mountain, from the people who live or visit here, and from myself.

Jordan Scampoli,  Summit Intern