April 20, 2025

Good tidings and Happy Easter!

The holiday weekend has been stunning atop the mountain. The sunshine and warmth does well to lift spirits and inspire folks to be active and explore the outdoors. We might not scrape 70° again today, but the thermometer is expected to creep close to it. Skies are incredibly hazy today due to both the unseasonable heat wave striking the region, but also the presence of several wildfires in neighboring counties. Be aware if you are someone with respiratory issues, as the air quality could affect your hiking enjoyment until the precip returns. We have one more dry and sunny day ahead of us before rain chances roll in sometime Monday evening.

It’s Day 5 of Earth Week, so let’s bring up the topic of sustainability. Up here, conditions are tough, and outfitting a rustic lodge in a remote location requires resourcefulness and durability. Throw in record visitation year-after-year and you can understand that just about everything here receives an exceptional amount of wear and tear. And while things up here need to last, they also have to possess and display the appropriate fit and feel. There are reasons the buildings look the way they do, why the products we sell are what they are, or why the meals our guests consume are what they are. It’s also about evaluating our impacts both near and far by what we use and offer.

The Polywood outdoor furniture we began incorporating in 2024 is produced in neighboring North Carolina from entirely recycled materials, are long lasting, easy to maintain, and complement the existing decor. The various LEED certified cleaning supplies we use in our kitchen, dining hall, cabins, or restroom facilities are safe, effective, and ensure no harm is done to our natural surroundings after their use. Several souvenirs like our balsam scented pillows, wooden coasters, or plush llamas are constructed from recycled materials preventing them from just becoming more waste in a landfill or burn pile. Our newest mattresses are PFAS-free to help protect our precious water sources, and new vegan pillows mean no animals were harmed in order to provide guests with a comfortable night’s sleep. These are but a few examples of the ways LeConte Lodge is leading the charge in providing a sustainable experience that still holds true to its rustic and timeless charm.

Enjoy the holiday wherever paths lead you today!