[at-l] new years hiking in the smokies.

merry xmas all!

just a quick note before I head to mom's.

i know there are couple of ya thinking about the smokies AT over new
yrs.  

I just came from there.  DON'T Do IT!  trail conditions are horrible. 
snow and ice everywhere. snow, someplaces, were almost up to my waist. 
icy ledges with long dropoffs are plenty!

Mnt leconte is just plain cold!  it was -10*F the night i was there. 
the boulevard trail is EXTREMELY dangerous!  I've never been that scared
in my life.  instep crampons are a minimum.   it would definitely be a
technical hike.  I usually turn back when the hike becomes nothing but a
matter of survival.

I got as far as IWS (2 days hiking)  when I decided it was silly to
continue.  and took the next day to hike out.

It was good thing, too.  The park found one man frozen to death on alum
cave trail.  Another had to be lifted from IWS via a blackhawk rescue
helicopter. (I got to witness that).  that guy was is serious condition
last I heard.

weather channel says conditions will be getting worse this week.  

thought Y'all would want a heads up.  

I'll send a few shots next week, if they turned out.

Have a VERY MERRY!!!


Ho. Ho. HO.


t.
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