A Good Melting Day

Lots of birds,
Fair number of hikers,
A snowshoer,
and temperatures that were downright balmy.

The highest we saw was 42, but we weren't watching it as carefully as the cardinal was watching the birdseed.

The 9:15 a.m. conditions were as follows:
22 degrees F and rising;
63% humidity and steady;
29.77" of Hg and rising;
the USFS Fire Danger Class is LOW.

Yesterday a visitor to the Lodge got mired in the snow along the cart path up, but with the assist of gravity, a shovel, and some oomph, it was released from its imprisonment.

Trail update:
The Silver Spring Trail is in fine shape believe it or not!
The Meadow Ridge Trail is very tricky in spots with downed trees and hanging limbs though a number of workaround spurs are present.

Tonight we encountered the dastardly downdraft. Periodically cold air pours down off of the hill and makes it hard to get a fire going. That would be fine in and of itself, but it also makes it hard for the smoke to go UP the chimney, and that part is frustrating, if temporary. All is well at present, though it is something to keep an eye on on a night like this.