Snowy Holiday Conditions

The weather started off mild and warm at Vincent Gap. We had come here a couple weeks before but forgot one of our crampons so we rescheduled when we saw the snow on the trail. Today some of the snow had melted but half way up, it was still icy so we put our cleats on. As we got up higher, it became colder and windier. Some of the snow was soft and deep so we sunk in a lot. It was exhausting. Almost reaching the summit we weren’t sure we could make it. I let my daughter stay at the start of the Pacific Crest trail while I went up the rest of the way alone. I thought I’d be alone but her dog Enzo wasn’t having it. He followed me all the way up through the snowy hillside. What a view once we got up there though. Cold, brisk , and windy with a semi foggy view of the distant mountains. Breathtaking.