Winter is here

We've made it to the Great Smokey Mountains and winter has arrived! We had a great Thanksgiving in Boone with the Ellis family and many other thru-hikers. Priya is back on the trail and her knee is holding up well. Estimated time of arrival at Springer Mountain is 2 weeks from now!
The following pics are (1) the Thanksgiving group at the Ellis "deer camp," outside to enjoy the season's first snow; (2&3) what that snow looked like in the mountains; (4) snow, breath, nasal fluid and who knows what else frozen in Christian's beard; (5) Priya and 2 giants crossing cold, wet meadows; (6) dinnertime in the shelter; (7) Priya and Elmer, who runs the lovely Sunnybank Inn in Hot Springs. He also happens to have taught at her high school in Singapore several decades ago; (8) frozen fog on the pine needles; (9) icicles in the Smokies with Pete on the trail; (10) Priya getting as close to the fire as possible in the shelter; (11) ahhh those beautiful Smokey Mountains.