February 04th, 2013

02/04/2013

up up and away.

Morning y'all,

The mountain is still quite snowy. The high yesterday reached 20 degrees. The low was 10 degrees. It was 17 degrees and clear at 7am observation. The mountain received 1 additional inch of snow, bringing the total up top to 9 inches. It looks like it will be a nice, clear day on the mountain. Be sure be prepared for deep snow, the drifts are shin high in areas. Bring a headlamp, extra layers, hot tea & anything else to help you stay warm up top. It's going to be bitter.

snowcoat.

The mountain is full of colour at the moment. After a few days of the omnipresent white adorning the trees, ground and everything in between, misty grey skies, blasting crescendos of wind, and all types of snow imaginable, things cleared off last night. I just came in from the kitchen porch after admiring the reds, oranges, and pinks dancing on the horizon. It took me a few minutes to be able to write this, as I'd been lost in the show and forgot about the 17 degree temperatures that were incapacitating my hands. Glory before circulation.

high top.

As I was wandering around near Cliff Tops yesterday, I stopped near a clearing. I sat there for a few minutes, enjoying the present. With all the roads closed most of the day, I was confident that I was one of a very select few people in the Park. In these quiet moments, the silence can swallow a man whole. The quietude is always more powerful than I remember, like one of our fine ravens exploding by on a jetstream. It is awesome - in the most literal sense. The awe brims over you. There is an emptiness in these encounters with Nature, when you leave behind the noise, detritus and endless distractions of society and dare to meet her face to face. The joy simply fills in the gaps where all that mental clutter used to be. Gift after gift after gift, ad infinitum. Truth tastes better than fiction.

glory.

Comments

Myra Kastor

02/04/2013 8:07am

Thanks for the beautiful pics...stay safe and warm!!!

Theresa / TN

02/04/2013 8:19am

Oh WOW!! Love your final picture and the caption describes it perfectly.

Jessica J

02/04/2013 8:23am

BEAUTIFUL!!!
Both the pictures and your writing.
thank you

Jan

02/04/2013 8:23am

So envious!! Beeeeutiful!!

doug y

02/04/2013 8:24am

Outside here in London, KY it's cold and hard ! Typical winter day I suppose; but when I come to this site all that takes a back seat. Like so many others, the photographs and comments always take me to that wonderful setting where I always long to be. Yes, JP, I experienced similar thoughts and feelings when I witnessed a raven sailing effortlessly on the air currents while enjoying a few moments at Cliff Tops. But the photo and single word caption that says it all, for me at least, is your lst one "GLORY" !! Thanks

doug y

02/04/2013 8:28am

It never fails: every time I check my comments I discover that I've mispelled at least one word !

Pam

02/04/2013 8:52am

Doug Y you are human!! We enjoy JP's comments and pics as well as everyone else. Don't worry about it! Great pics once again JP! From central Ohio which is quite snowy at the moment!!

Theresa ? TN

02/04/2013 9:59am

doug y - I'm sure we all do, but most of the time others don't notice or comment. Lol I never have been a good "speller". Aahhh did I spell that right?? Oh well..... :)

Steve D

02/04/2013 8:54am

JP-You are so right about the quietude being unreal! I hiked to Rainbow Falls Sat. morning, and as I arrived at the Falls, the snow started to fall, adding to the beautiful 4 or 5 inch soft blanket that was already there. As I stood at the bridge looking up at the falls, I was blown away how quiet it is, then I heard the wind blowing thru the trees high above me, and just marveled at how blessed I was to be there enjoying it all. What a sight to see the Iced part of the falls, and I hated to leave. See ya later this week I hope JP.

Devin R

02/04/2013 10:58am

Wonderful Steve! Of all of the hiking my wife and I have done during the winter, we have never been able to experience a moment like you have just described. We've had snow on the ground, the need for traction when hiking on Alum or in Mt Mitchell SP, but have yet to be fortunate enough for it to start snowing during our trek. Sounds like a wonderful and surreal experience!

Brant

02/04/2013 5:27pm

Steve,

I share with your sentiments. In 2004 my wife and I were going to try to make it to the top on the Tues. before Thanksgiving, so we got an early start. As we drove up the road to the Rainbow Falls trailhead, we started to see more snow. We were the first ones on the trail that day, breaking our way through 4 or so inches, crawling under/over rhodys, and so forth. Wisely we decided not to go any further than the falls that day. We were only alone about 10 minutes when some other brave hikers joined us, but all of us were respectful of the show we were seeing that day.

Sherleen Cardwell

02/04/2013 9:09am

JP type writing back .....thank goodness........So enjoyable .....keep it up .You have many fans. Be blessed !

dan waits link

02/04/2013 9:19am

Thank you SO MUCH for the pics this morning, but thank you even more for just a glimpse into your life

Eileen

02/04/2013 10:14am

Thank you for allowing me a "quick" escape to the mountains as I sit at my desk on this Monday morning. Your words and pictures make me feel as if I am there enjoying the beauty and magic of Mother Nature! Thanks for sharing......Glory!!

Renate

02/04/2013 10:14am

Good morning JP, THANK YOU for your pictures and allowing us to be a part of your life! I pray your knee is healing well! Take care and stay warm

bsten

02/04/2013 10:19am

Beautiful bd

George--LA

02/04/2013 10:25am

?--For Steve D. Did you go all the way up rainbow, and if you did what were the conditions. JP glad your back. Going up next week, drop a hint if you need anything. What kind of paper is it that you like to read?

Steve D

02/04/2013 10:43am

George-LA-I did not go all the way up that day, though I did a couple of weeks ago. JP is correct I am sure when he says that there is more snow the further up you go, and the last mile will have a sheet of ice on it probably, and it is a lot colder and very windy up towards the top as well. Be safe and enjoy!

Jeff Greenbrier link

02/04/2013 11:01am

great pics and thoughts - thanks for sharing!

hrtn

02/04/2013 11:10am

breathtaking b

Becky Moore

02/04/2013 11:12am

JP - as always thanks for the wonderful words and awesome pictures of this special place so many of us love! Look forward to your post every day.

Ronette Jones

02/04/2013 11:24am

Absolutely lovely---Thank you!

Pam

02/04/2013 12:56pm

Has anyone seen pics of Allyon's trip? There were some on facebook but I couldn't get them to load. ??? Just wondering!

Joe

02/04/2013 1:15pm

"With all the roads closed most of the day, I was confident that I was one of a very select few people in the Park." Hey JP, I've been checking out the blog for the past few days and it's incredible looking at these images from LeConte. A friend and I will be planning a trip out there this weekend. I'd love to hear from you what we should know for first timers on LeConte. We are experienced trail runners/hikers from Chattanooga, but your comment of the roads closed bummed me out...

Jeff Greenbrier link

02/04/2013 1:20pm

I was just out in Greenbrier walking my dog. The road is closed at the Ranger Station. Not sure what it's like past there, but the part open back to 321 looks like parts were under water last week.

Devin R

02/04/2013 2:44pm

Joe,

You should be able to still make it to the Rainbow Falls Trailhead for Cherokee Orchard Rd on the Gatlinburg side of the Park. I don't know if it'll be passable, but it usually isn't included in the closure when 441 closes down. If there's no more snow in the forecast between now and then, you should be ok using either route.

Joe

02/04/2013 2:57pm

Sounds good! Thank you guys for the heads up.

Braska Jennea link

02/04/2013 10:17pm

Joe, I have no tips for your hike, but as for the roads I was just up there this weekend and I prayed that since it was my last day for a while that 441/NewFound Gap Rd would open...and it did today (only to just past NFG though due to the slide on the NC side)! Add @SmokiesRoadsNPS to your Twitter if you have one...that's where I get all of my up to date road info :) It can change within hours each day though so check it regularly if you're planning on going :)

Joe

02/04/2013 10:48pm

Thank you for the help!

JeanNC

02/04/2013 2:49pm

WELL.......I'd say you no longer have writers block!!! Such a GIFT of expression and your photos are outstanding.
There was some discussion regarding the sightings of Mountain Lions/Panthers in the Park....I've never seen one there, however, I did see one here in the Blue Ridge Mountains just south of Asheville. It was just about dusk one evening a few years ago, when one came down off an embankment and crossed the road in front of my car. It was dark in color about the size of a large dog and had a long tail that was slightly curved up on the end. Since that time several of my neighbors have reported hearing one and seeing evidence down by the lake.

Madge @ The View From Right Here link

02/04/2013 8:55pm

SO gorgeous, especially the last image 'Glory.' It certainly is...

Braska Jennea link

02/04/2013 10:43pm

I'd almost given up, but given the beauty I saw today on my brief trip up to Newfound Gap right after the road opened I thought I'd check back one more time...and I have to say I am ecstatically overjoyed that my favorite blog is "back to normal" :) This is my first post in the two years I've been visiting...mostly because I felt unworthy to comment as I have never made the trek myself.

Today though I had to break my silent stalking and say Thank you JP, and the whole Lodge crew, for allowing Leconte lovers like me, who are dying to hike to the summit one day but can't, to enjoy the view through your images and prose! Such a remarkable change of pace in the blogs I have to write...and read!

I visit Cades Cove, NFG and Clingman's Dome about a dozen times every year, mostly in the Winter...tis my favorite season. I've never had the opportunity...yet...to ascend "my" beautiful mountains though. Unfortunately I have not been blessed with such adventurous friends as myself. While I may make a lot of trips alone, I'm not crazy enough to attempt a hike solo. Especially one I've never made before. :/

Almost 30 and I have a "bucket list" which includes not only hiking up to, but hopefully one day having the privilege to stay a night "High on Leconte"...and capture my own breathtaking images for my walls and memories.

As a professional photographer I love to capture the lives of others through my lens, but I LIVE to capture God's glorious creation for my stress release...and my beloved GBurg is just close enough to let me accomplish such a feat.

Out of the thousands of images I've captured in "my mountains" Leconte eludes me, but I sincerely thank you from the bottom of my heart for the time you put into your posts on my ever elusive mountain top experience. I get to live it even though I haven't yet experienced it...so thank you!!

I pray it continues to inspire your writing...I know it surely inspires myself. Hopefully one day I'll have the honor to meet you all in person...when I finally get to have my day in, or above, the clouds :)

Sincerely,

Braska

Deedee/Mich.

02/04/2013 11:51pm

Braska; I have ascended that heaven-sent LeConte 3 times totally alone with no prior experience and spent the nights
as a petite 50+ year old woman.
Crazy? Not a bit :)! You can do it.

Kent

02/05/2013 12:18pm

Braska,

If taking on such an adventurous solo hike intimidates you, I would suggest hiking the Alum Cave Trail up to LeConte on a nice spring or summer weekend day. Believe me, you'll encounter so many other hikers, you won't even feel like you're hiking alone.

grammie

02/05/2013 12:23am

Thanks again JP for taking us along on your journey! I am left speechless and just set back and absorb your words and pictures.

doug y

02/05/2013 8:03am

Braska Jeanea: Loved your comments; I was once a professional photographer myself for a well known publication which I'll leave unnamed. I don't do much photography theses days, spending most of my time hiking and camping. If you want a personal guide to take you to Leconte Lodge some day, I'll offer my services as a dependable and knowledgeable person. If not, I do hope you can some day make it up there; you suely know from everyone's comments here how mesemerizing and spectacular the lodge can be ! G'day.

doug y

02/05/2013 8:05am

creative spelling !

Debi

02/05/2013 3:35pm

Cold up there!!!!!!!!!

Kim R.

02/12/2013 8:03am

Beautiful post, JP!!! As always... xo :)

Allyson Virden

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