high places

climbed clingmans dome this morning----6,643 ft above sea level---in eastern north america, only mt. mitchell and mt. craig, also in north carolina, are taller-----blowing and cold, but you could see forever from the top of the 54'-high observation tower built in 1959----enjoyed the peace and quiet just in time, since going back down, i passed two bus loads of chirren noisly making their way to the top-----it was spring in the valleys, but still half-winter up in the air----like the hemlocks at lower elevations, the fraser fir at the higher elevation are being killed by an imported pest, a wooly aphid that has killed 70% of the mature trees in the park in the last 30 years-----