April 18, 2025

It’s a Good Friday for great hiking in grand weather!

As expected, we’re welcoming a surge in eager visitors today to kickoff the holiday weekend. And with these bountiful blue skies and stellar temps, it all makes sense that an escapade to the mountain is on the to-do list. We should see the mercury near the mid 60d this afternoon, although the winds have ramped up and could gust as much as 40mph tonight. Right now Saturday is forecasting a high close to 70° for our elevation with slightly weaker winds. One would think this dreamy destination will be absolutely hopping tomorrow. So pack the patience for those parking lots, popular trails, and gift shop lines along with the hat, shades, and sunscreen. Our reservations office is closed today in observance of the holiday and will resume normal business hours on Monday.

It’s now Day 3 of Earth Week, and it’s only fitting that we look to the skies on such a day full of sunshine. That’s right, today we’re talking about the unique qualities of solar power here at the Lodge! From various rooftops and masts, visitors to the summit have likely noticed a number of systems pop up gradually over the past 25 years. Each is uniquely designed to harness the power of the sun to provide operational efficiency while reducing carbon emissions and a dependence on noisy, fossil fuel-burning machines and instruments. Said systems also allow us to take it the next level, from using rechargeable battery powered equipment to allowing our on-site staff to maintain their sanity while living off grid for months out of the year. And new this season, we’ve gone another step further by offering our overnight guests the opportunity to utilize rechargeable lanterns as an alternative to the traditional rustic kerosene lanterns that have graced our cabins for a century. They’re a great eco-conscious option for those guests (especially those folks traveling with kids) who aren’t as familiar with our old-school means of illumination. Just inquire with our knowledgeable crew when checking in to your cabin.

That’s just one example of solar-related sweetness that’s been rolled out this season, but more innovative yet tasteful implementations are on the way and we’re beyond excited to bring them to you!