DAYLIGHT SAVINGS MEANS LATER SUNSETS
THE END OF A WONDERFULLY MAGICAL WINTER
Torrential warm rains and the snow is almost all gone. On Saturday the runoff was so high that the Hughes River was over the top of Nethers Road between Peola Mills and Slate Mills Roads.
The white in the pasture in the next picture is a fence not snow but the small white patches on the mountain are the last vestiges of this winters snow.
What a strange bittersweet feeling I am having about the passing of the snow. It can be such a pain and so much fun all at the same time.
Time to think about putting away the micro-ice-traction devices, snowshoes, skis, ice climbing gear and winter layers for future winters or travels to distant lands.
Those with a strong adversion to cold and snow can celebrate and prepare to exit their hibernation.
I am really looking forward to seeing the unfolding of Spring but......... I will certainly celebrate the first snow flakes I see drifting to the ground next fall.
The contact station is open. For those who have never noticed there is an emergency phone on the side of the contact station closest to the sign and truck in this picture. This phone connects with the 24X7 park communications center.
A couple of small sections of the trail had water running on them.
This picture is taken at the spot lots of folks take a break at the No-Camping Sign. Notice that the snow is GONE.
Looking up the Ridge Trail you can see some minor remnants of snow. Even the remnants will probably be gone by next weekend.
LEAVE NO TRACE VIOLATORSNO OPEN FIRES ALLOWED
ANYWHERE ON OLD RAG.
The general rule is there are no open fires allowed in the park. In actuality there are some circumstances where fires are allowed. You should check with a Ranger or a SNP publication for the rules concerning when and where you can have a fire. If you are looking at a publication make sure it has been fairly recently published because the rules do change sometimes.
Someone decided to have a fire right smack on one of the large granite slabs where a lot of folks like to take a break so we will now need to be assaulted with this ugly blackened rock. Eventually the rain will wash it off but it can take a long time for the black to disappear.
Worse than the black spot, the heat from the fire caused about a quarter inch of the granite underneath to exfoliate off the slab. I am not sure how many years of erosion this would equate to but I would not be surprised if it was measured in thousands of years.
Looking down towards Etlan.
Just above R20 and just before the rock scramble. Notice that the snow in last week's picture is all gone.
Looking up the Ridge Trail from the first false summit.
Just a few drizzles on Sunday afternoon but the brooks where all high from the prior day's rain and snow melt. It is nice being able to listen to and watch the burbling water.
So sad to see all the snow gone! Can't wait for next winter and hopefully another huge snowfall.
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