We are still going through all of our eclipse pictures. The one above was taken off the back porch during the event. It was so amazing.

The temps have been floating around 71/52 the past few days but the humidity is hanging on. The past 4 days have been wonderfully sunny but today started with a show stopper.

Clouds, mist, and rain will be the theme of the day, hopefully the llamas don't get too wet!

​The deer have been out in full force the past few days. Check it out!

Good Afternoon.
What an interesting day we've had up here.A clear morning turned to partially cloudy but still bright and cool. After a slight influx of early hikers we all hung out around camp, Myrtle Point, and Cliff Tops waiting for the eclipse to start.

Our 71 day yesterday dropped to 48 and it was 55 at this mornings 6:15am observation.
Camp gradually became darker, the temperature dropped 5 degrees, we saw Venus and a few stars out, and then back to normal. The valley was purple and blue for a few seconds and it seemed as though we were looking though a bubble to a different world.
The Diamond ring was beautiful as it offset the slivered sun.
We have llamas Wednesday and Friday.

Stay tuned for more pictures from today's celestial anomaly!

Good afternoon everyone,
The sunshine has been on at full blast since yesterday giving way to a beautiful sunset and radiant sunrise. The weather on the mountain has been lovely and cool, yesterday's high being 74 and this mornings low 47; bring a jacket if you're staying overnight with us.

Eclipse is tomorrow!

All of us at the lodge are anticipating tomorrow's eclipse but are a little thrown that today's afternoon cloud cover might put a bit of a damper on things. The forecast still calls for 20% chance of rain but that could mean anything in the Smokies.
We do not provide the eclipse viewing glasses up at the lodge so please make sure you bring some with you. Getting to the trails early is strongly recommended.
Our overnight guests on Sunday are welcome to stay and hang out around camp, Cliff Tops, and Myrtle Point until the eclipse at 2:30pm but please keep in mind our check out time (9:30am). Those staying the night of the 21st are welcome to hike up anytime during the day but we will not be able to start checking guests in until 12:00pm. That also goes for our gift shoppe located in the office.
We are looking forward to everyone coming to view this celestial event and strongly encourage bringing enough water and snacks for the day.
We anticipate having a very busy day on the mountain, and we greatly appreciate everyone's patience in advance as we strive to cater to all of our visitors' needs during this rare solar event. Folks curious about staying at the shelter will need to confer with the NPS Backcountry Office. If the shelter is full, there is no other camping permitted on the mountain.

Happy eclipse preparation!

Good Morning,

We were treated to sun, rain, and clouds yesterday. Sporadic showers pelted hikers and crew members alike who were enjoying the sunshine moments earlier. The rain amounted to .10” over the course of the day and we expect to see much more today.

It is noticeably humid up here on the mountain with 71 degrees during the day and an even more humid 56 over the course of the night. We expect rain most of today.

Llamas are coming up today and Sunday, so keep your eyes out for them and listen to the wrangler’s instructions if you happen to chance upon them on the trail.

Eclipse forecast.

As of tomorrow morning we should have a nice, sunny, weekend that will carry over into Monday. There is a 20% chance of rain, which, if you're familiar with the Smokies weather, means anything could happen. To those overnight guests staying with us on Sunday the 20th, please know that you are welcome to stay on the mountain as long as you desire, since the Eclipse will take place in the middle of the afternoon. On the other hand, you won't be able to occupy the guest cabins past the usual morning checkout time (camp cleanup starts at 9:30 AM), as the crew will still have to ready them for Monday's next arrivals as normal.
​ On the flip side of that, even though we and the NPS are encouraging folks to get to the trailheads as early as possible to beat traffic congestion, please understand that this won't mean overnight guests on Monday the 21st will be able to check-in to their cabins earlier than normal (before noon). We anticipate having a very busy day on the mountain, and we greatly appreciate everyone's patience in advance as we strive to cater to all of our visitors' needs during this rare solar event. Folks curious about staying at the shelter will need to confer with the NPS Backcountry Office. If the shelter is full, there is no other camping permitted on the mountain.


Have a a wonderful Friday!

Good Morning,
​     We're enjoying are second straight dawn with clear, beautiful conditions.  It's supposed to remain that way until this afternoon when the chance of thunderstorms increases.  Yesterday's high temperature was 67 degrees, and our low from that morning was 51.  There was a short afternoon shower on Wednesday that barely dripped 0.02" on the mountain.  It's already off to a warm start today, currently in the upper 50's.
     Your updated Solar Eclipse forecast...
     Things are looking favorable now.  Mostly sunny skies. The weekend leading up to the spectacle is quite promising for a day spent in the outdoors as well.  We'll see if it holds!

     Today marks a special occasion, an act that may be a first in lodge history.  See the llama pictured above?  He's one of our newest recruits who came in with Ignacio.  The thing is...HE NEEDS A NAME!  And so the wranglers would like for LeConte Lodge fans to help us in the naming process.  Please submit your ideas as a comment on today's post, or over on our Facebook page under the same photograph.  After we gather a healthy number of submissions, the wranglers will decide on the name that best suits this llama's look and personality.  We appreciate your help, and happy naming!

Good Afternoon,
     Last night and this morning have been some of the prettiest and undaunting skies we've seen in a while.  It's refreshing for the mind, body, and spirit to be able to soak up some unobstructed sun.  There were some showers we witnessed earlier in the day on Tuesday that only amounted to 0.15" of rainfall.  Yesterday's high temperature came in at 64 degrees with a low of 51.  We're around 60 at the moment as clouds threatening to sock us in again.  There is a small chance of storms this afternoon.
     The latest on our Solar Eclipse forecast...
     Monday has done a flip, as they're now calling for partly cloudy skies in the morning with a 50% possibility of thunderstorms in the afternoon.  Par for the course in terms of summer weather on the mountain.  Plenty of time between now and then for that prediction to change.

     It's been too long since we showcased one of our prized packers, so here we go.  Say hello to none other than....FLASH!  This guy is one of the oldest still in rotation, and has been a lodge employee for many years now.  His trademark is the white streak that runs across the front of his face, along with his large, salt and pepper wool coat.  He is also one of our alphas on the farm, though more passive than some of the others, say like Denny.  When it comes to being on the clock, Flash has always been very reliable.  One of the most common questions visitors to the mountain ask when they see the llamas, is whether or not llamas spit at people.  They are known to do so towards one another, but for one to feel the need to let the green stuff fly in the direction of a person would take a great deal of antagonizing.  Flash is the exception to the rule.  He's put me in the cross-hairs a number of times, unprovoked, and that's happened to several of us who have spent extensive time with this particular llama.  Flash and I agree to disagree, but for the most part, we respect one another's space.  We all appreciate his service through the years, as this season will be his last packing for our company.  He's earned a long and happy retirement.  Be sure and give Flash a salute and a thank you if you catch him on the trail!
​     Have a great rest of the day.

Good Afternoon,
     It sounds like the mountain caught the break yesterday. Everyone seemed to get rain throughout the day but us, or at least not until late last night.  Even that was a laugher, as we only recorded 0.05" of rain.  We'll have a lot more in the gauge after today, though, as showers have already blown through a few times this morning.  Our high temperature Monday was 68 degrees, countered by a low of 55. Please continue to pack all the wet weather essentials.

     We're now less than a week away from the highly advertised event of the summer, the August 21st Solar Eclipse.  Some things one should know pertaining to the skyward spectacle here on Mt. LeConte...
     Though likely to change in the coming days, the weather forecast is currently calling for a chance of isolated thunderstorms early in the day, changing to partly cloudy skies in the afternoon. The lodge sits just outside the zone of totality, but if atmospheric conditions allow, the show should still be pretty impressive from our vantage point. To those overnight guests staying with us on Sunday the 20th, please know that you are welcome to stay on the mountain as long as you desire, since the Eclipse will take place in the middle of the afternoon.  On the other hand, you won't be able to occupy the guest cabins past the usual morning checkout time (camp cleanup starts at 9:30 AM), as the crew will still have to ready them for Monday's next arrivals as normal.
     For the flip side of that, even though we and the NPS are encouraging folks to get to the trailheads as early as possible to beat traffic congestion, please understand that this won't mean overnight guests on Monday the 21st will be able to check-in to their cabins earlier than normal (before noon).  We anticipate having a very busy day on the mountain, and we greatly appreciate everyone's patience in advance as we strive to cater to all of our visitors' needs during this rare solar event.  Folks curious about staying at the shelter will need to confer with the NPS Backcountry Office. If the shelter is full, there is no other camping permitted on the mountain.
     As the Eclipse draws nearer, we'll continue to provide updates to help you better prepare.  Have a great day.

Hello and Happy Monday,
     So far today is an identical match to yesterday.  It's mild, and the clouds can't decide if they want to stay or go. Sunday broke the streak of daily rainfall, as skies threatened on multiple occasions but never mounted to anything.  Our high temperature read 65 degrees and our low for the period was 51.  There was the lightest of mists this morning, and temps are in the mid 60's for the moment.  Hopefully things stay dry so the llamas can get down without having to contend with rain during their descent, and the same for Alan while he unloads.
     As previously discussed, this has been an exceptional year in terms of critter activity around camp.  Deer, squirrels, and snails have been roaming the slopes in high numbers.  There are times when I stroll by our incinerator and stir up a flock of Red Crossbill Finches, sometimes as many as 20 birds!  They must like the warmth radiating from the trash-burning beast.  There have been a few bears nosing around this season, and signs of the ever elusive fox and bobcat.  Today I was excited to spot a Monarch Butterfly, the first I've seen up here this year. They seem like such a rarity anymore, so it feels like a trophy find to observe one dancing between flowers in bloom, especially this high.  Travel well our little, orange, fluttery friend.

Good Afternoon,
     East Tennessee got walloped with some storms yesterday, and Mt. LeConte certainly got in on the action. In two short afternoon squalls, the mountain had 1.3" of rain dumped on it, and the drainage ditches around and through camp were overflowing their banks.  Trails are sure to be saturated for the time being, so consider waterproof hiking shoes for your trips up and down.  At one point the sun was out, allowing us to hit a high temperature of 67 degrees on Saturday.  Our low came in at 52.  We've been in and out of the clouds most of today, with temperatures hovering in the low 60's.  Today's rain chances are lower, but there are a few pop-up showers forming in the park already. We'll see if one nips us to keep our daily precipitation streak alive.  Of the coming days, tomorrow appears to be the most favorable for playing in the woods without getting wet.
​     Have a great day.

Happy Weekend,
     It's been a quiet Saturday compared to the last few, and I'm sure families going back to school, and certainly the weather, are contributing to that.  Friday's temperatures came in with a high of 62 degrees and a low of 54.  The rain held off most of the day until unloading right before supper time.  We ended up with 0.96" of rainfall.  It had been partly cloudy much of today, with some really warm sunshine at times, but the rain just rolled in within the last couple of minutes.  That puts us at seven straight days of precip now, and 9 of 12 days so far this month. Considering where those numbers were this time last year, we'll gladly take it.  Catching any of the meteor shower has been difficult, as our night skies continue to be veiled.  Maybe we'll be provided with an opening to the stars tonight.
     Have a fabulous weekend wherever you may be!