April 6, 2021

Good Morning,

It’s so nice to wake up to a mountain top that isn’t frozen in some fashion or another. Spring continues to try and take back control of the upper elevations with its warming trend. We managed to break 50° yesterday and our overnight low stayed well enough above freezing. The next couple days will get even warmer with plenty of sunshine still. It appears as though the opportunity for rainfall and thunderstorms will return by Thursday. So if you’re in the area for spring break and have Mt. LeConte pegged for your itinerary, today and tomorrow might be your best chance to see the most while staying dry.

With a surge in visitors these past many days surrounding the holiday, we’re of course seeing folks traversing the mountain’s various trails. Everything is safely passable at the moment, which is good to hear for everyone with varying hiking abilities. A couple reminders that Brushy Mountain out of Greenbrier is still inaccessible while the Park wraps up road maintenance leading up to its trailhead. Also, Roaring Fork is expected to reopen for the season (and stay open) this coming weekend. That will once again give hikers access to the slightly shorter portion of Trillium Gap Trail (6.7 miles vs. 8.9 miles out of Cherokee Orchard). Anyone looking for wildflowers (and extended solitude) should consider hiking Bull Head, as April is one of the best times to take this trail up or down the mountain. Just be cautious during rough weather, as one is exposed to the elements for several miles while passing through the extensive burn zones.

Have a great day.