April 30, 2017

Good Afternoon All,
     Today has been very similar to yesterday's happenings. Clouds rolled in again last night, winds picked up, and then the sun came out by the afternoon to brighten the mood. It's not as warm today, the winds aren't dying down this time, and it sounds like our next set of storms is on the way.  Shortly after posting yesterday, our official thermometer tapped 70.0 degrees for the first time this year.  We hit 51 degrees over night and are yet to hit 60 today.  There is also a fair amount of day hiker traffic, so its good to see folks taking advantage of the weather to enjoy the outdoors before the work week resumes.
     Here's an interesting weather related tidbit for you. Everyone should be quite familiar with the extreme drought we endured last year.  For 2016, Mt. LeConte recorded 52.5" of rainfall, well short of the average amount the Smoky Mountains receive annually, which is around 85".  Over the last 4 months, we have recorded 26" of rain, already half of last year.  We'll see what comes tonight.  It feels like we've had a good balance of sun and rain this year, and we can only hope that trend continues.  

Super proud of our trainees, Max (far) and Reuben (near).

     Unsure of what the approaching storm may do to the trail tonight and tomorrow, our wranglers opted to bring one of our teams up today.  A great decision on their part to make the haul much more enjoyable for man, woman, and llama.  It was great to welcome Maximus Cluck and Rainbow Reuben to the mountain top after several weeks of training. (Don't worry, their unique bios are coming later!)  Alan has been bringing the packing teams to the lodge while Chrissy and Bonnie have been diligent and patient in getting our newest team members comfortable with each extended climb.  We are excited about seeing Hershey and Bear (no, not THAT bear) the next trip.

We love our sweet Pete!

     Since we're on the topic of llamas, and it's the end of another week, it's time to feature another one of our outstanding load luggers...PETE! (aka Petey, Sweet Pete). Pete is as nice as they come, having been befriended by so many of our visitors over the years because of his calm and friendly demeanor.  He's also one of our most consistent workers, even for being slightly smaller in stature than his buddies.  As Alan says, Pete has a clean record when it comes to having no drama thus far in his LeConte career. He also has a tendency to be a favorite of the ladies, maybe because of his feminine-like eyelashes and soft face.  He's logged a lot of miles on this mountain, and we appreciate all that he does for the operation.  Let's hear it for Pete!
​     Have a great rest of the day and conclusion to the month.  Happy trails!