Good Morning!

This will probably be another Fabulous day on our favorite mountain! The morning temperature is 38 degrees—compared to 21 degrees at the same time yesterday.

With the warmer temperatures and increasing foot traffic on the trails the melting snow will soon become compacted—and more slippery! Traction devices are highly recommended!

Now for a Mt LeConte “history lesson “. Today marks the 52nd anniversary of the night launch of Apollo 17. This event was viewed by two hardy souls from what is now called Apollo Overlook. This spot is located on the trail to Myrtle Point, just past the backcountry shelter.

I’m looking forward to seeing you soon!

HAPPY TRAILS!!
WILDCAT/Bert

Hey, Y’all!

The sky is clear—the sun is shining brightly—the temperature is already up to 32 degrees! What a difference a day makes! Yesterday was cloudy with a high temperature of 21 degrees and a low of 13 degrees. The roads were closed yesterday so I saw no foot traffic on the mountain. With yesterday’s low temperatures we still have six inches of snow here on top.

Today just might be a good day to do laundry (by hand, of course)! I’ve been procrastinating because it takes time to haul an adequate amount of water up the mountain from the spring, heat the water on the stove, and then wash the clothes by hand.

The good news is that I don’t usually get too hot and sweaty up here in the winter—and if I did, the only people who would see me just climbed six miles up the mountain, so they’re hot and sweaty too and not likely to complain about my appearance.

My first day hiker of the day just came by the lodge at 10:15 AM. He came up Bullhead and is going down the Rainbow Falls trail.

I hope that you have a great day!

WILDCAT/Bert

Good Morning, Everyone!

We’re having wonderful mountain weather up here today—19 degrees and 6 inches of snow! Highway 441 to Newfound Gap is currently closed.

This would be a great day to go out and play in the snow—or it would be a great day to just stay inside where it’s warm!

Either way, I know that it will be a Wonderful Wednesday at LeConte Lodge!

I hope that y’all have a great day!

WILDCAT/Bert

Good Morning, Folks!

It’s a terrific Tuesday on LeConte! Clear blue skies, the temperature is 30 degrees. Two to four inches of snow predicted for tonight.

Yesterday was a baking day. I thought that a apple cake would be a good way to use up. left over canned peeled apple slices. It turned out very well.

I was visited yesterday by an eighty year old gentleman from Sevierville, Tennessee. He was doing his 110th trip up Mt LeConte for this year.

HAPPY TRAILS!!
WILDCAT/Bert

Good Morning, Friends!

I’m enjoying a marvelous Monday morning on top of Mt LeConte. I’m having homemade biscuits and sausage gravy.

The sky is clear and current temperature is about freezing. Yesterday’s high temperature was 43 degrees and the low was 28.

It looks like today might be a good day to do laundry.

HAPPY TRAILS!!
WILDCAT/Bert

Good Morning, Everyone!

Sunday morning on the mountain! I’m listening to classic Bluegrass Southern Gospel music and enjoying fresh hot black coffee.

Mt LeConte received 1.3 inches of precipitation in the past 24 hours. Water was flowing down all of the trails this morning. The skies were very cloudy first thing this morning, but are clearing now. The current temperature is 38 degrees.

Perhaps we’ll have great views from Cliff Tops this afternoon and a spectacular sunset this evening!

HAPPY TRAILS!!
WILDCAT/Bert

Hey, Y’all,

Today’s post is dedicated to all of you who live in cities (we call it the “front county “) and take hot and cold running water and electricity for granted.

The Mt LeConte Lodge is pretty much “off the grid”—especially in the winter time! Water comes from a spring located on the Trillium Gap trail about a tenth of a mile down from the kitchen. I fill five and seven gallon plastic jugs and carry them back up the trail to the kitchen where they are stored stored to prevent them from freezing. For hot water I heat the spring water in a large pot on the store in the kitchen.

The only electricity that the lodge has comes from a solar panel and is used to power a cell phone. Light is provided by kerosene lamps.

The restroom is a pit toilet located about a tenth of a mile from my cabin.

My ancestors came to the United States from northern England to homestead on a farm in Kansas. I grew up in a small farm house that was built on the farm in the 1860’s. When I was young the house was heated by wood stoves and wood stove in the kitchen. Water was pumped out of a well by a windmill. No television until after I went off to college—and then only one channel. We had a radio, but could receive only two or three AM stations. For “entertainment “ we cared for dairy cows, hogs, and chickens every day in the winter.

I feel that all of this was excellent training for living alone on top of the mountain for several months at a time in the winter. In addition to this early training, I hiked the Continental Divide Trail is 2007 and was alone on top of the Rocky Mountains for four months in the winter time.

I enjoy being winter caretaker immensely!

I hope that you have a great day!
WILDCAT/Bert

Good Morning!

Mother Nature has obviously decided to treat us to some different weather today! The wind began blowing during the night. The rain began to fall at 7:00 AM. The current temperature is 40 degrees. The low temperature for yesterday was only 23 degrees and the high was 41 degrees. The snow and ice that we had yesterday is turning to slush on the trails!

The mountains have been desperately in need of precipitation to keep the springs flowing normally. And now it appears that we are going to receive what we had been hoping for!

We had a visitor yesterday from Normandy, France. He was impressed that my wife and I had hiked the Tour du Mont Blanc, as he hadn’t hiked that one yet.

If you choose to take a hike today, be sure to bring adequate rain gear!

HAPPY TRAILS!!
WILDCAT/Bert

Good Morning, Y’all!

I’m sure that by now you realize that every day that I’m on Mt LeConte is a great day! Well, today is no exception. The skies are clear and the temperature is already 38 degrees. Yesterday’s high was only 31 degrees and the low last night was 20 degrees. The trails are already packed snow and we’re sure to see some melting today which will turn to ice tonight. Needless to say, traction devices are highly recommended!

You should be aware that the
Park Service has advised us that the road to Cherokee Orchard will be closed on Wednesday, December 6th, for maintenance. This means that there will be no access to the Rainbow Falls, Bullhead, and Trillium Gap trailheads on that day.

I had an unusual experience yesterday—I met an eight month old day hiker! Of course he was carried by his father, but I believe that’s the youngest person that I have met on LeConte. It’s good to get ‘em started early!

HAPPY TRAILS!!
WILDCAT/ Bert

Good Morning, Everyone!

I’m enjoying a Wonderful Wednesday up here on top of our favorite mountain. It’s clear and cold this morning, so I was able to observe an almost full moon as it set in the west as I was walking to my “office”.

Yesterday’s high temperature was 20 degrees and the low was 10.7 degrees, so there wasn’t a lot of snow melt up here on top!

I saw five hikers on top yesterday. Three were wearing traction devices—the other two wished that they were! They reported that the snow and ice starts soon after you pass Alum Bluff. Today’s clear skies and sunshine will probably melt enough snow that the trails will be really icy tomorrow morning. Be sure to prepare accordingly and be safe!

A quick heads up to anyone looking to snag some LeConte swag from our online store for some holiday shopping. Right now we are advising folks hoping to receive their goods in time for Christmas Day to place their orders no later than December 14. Of course, we have no control over the shipments once they’re in the hands of the USPS, so best not wait to get those orders placed for unique items like our 2023 ornament!

HAPPY TRAILS!!
WILDCAT/Bert