April 21, 2021

Good Morning,

Looks like we have a very active weather day ahead of us, so let’s get right to it. As a front pushes through this morning, temps will continue to plummet, so essentially our high temp for the day will happen around breakfast. We’re currently near the freezing mark, but temps will fall into the teens by this evening. Accounting for the wind chill factor will make it feel much colder up top. There is a chance for precip all morning long that has the potential to fall as snow. Anything above 5,000’ could witness accumulation up to 1”. By lunch time the storm is expected to have finally exited the region with skies gradually clearing throughout the day. Winds will remain a presence the next several days, with gusts ranging anywhere from 25-30mph. A Freeze Warning is slated for late Wednesday evening into Thursday morning at all elevations, so not just up here. Looking ahead, significant rainfall is in the forecast for Friday night, all day Saturday, then petering out early Sunday. Going to be a wet weekend.

Plan for your upcoming hike accordingly, whether staying overnight as a guest or braving it as a day hiker. These conditions are nothing to sneeze at, so please don’t be fooled by the delightful arrival of spring happening below. This mountain still has plenty of winter and turbulent weather left in it. Traction devices are highly recommended if the trails turn slick today. Bring enough layers to keep you dry and warm, and also to change into should you get wet during your trek. US 441 is open at the moment, but have an alternate route planned for reaching the summit in case the Park decides to close the main highway at any point today or in the coming days. As always, please take note of any new trail hazards, such as freshly fallen trees, and report them to our staff and/or the NPS for immediate resolution. Thank you.

Be safe and have a great day.