Hello Readers,
     It is sure to be a gorgeous day in the park.  Saturday's high temperature was 43 degrees, with a chillier than late low of 21.  The clouds soaked us down with another 0.44" of rain.  Today should go a long way in helping to warm things up and dry trails out.  Get out and enjoy it if you can!

Good Morning,
     A tale of two different days on the mountain.  Much cooler yesterday up top, as our high temp was 47 degrees followed by a low of 29.  We also saw the return of the rain, with 0.31" falling.  Creeks are sure to be running high coming off of the slopes today and trails will most certainly be soggy.  Conditions are cloudy, windy, and hovering in the 30's for the moment.  Once this wet weather works itself out, things should improve by tomorrow with clearer skies and warmer temps returning.
     Have yourself an enjoyable weekend and thanks for stopping by!

     The February heat wave continues.  Thursday's high temperature at the lodge managed to tap the 60 degree mark, a giant leap for the mountain's new recorded high this year.  It coincides nicely with the 80 degrees reached in the valley below.  Yesterday's low came in at 46, but temps had already started to cool this morning.  There was no new precipitation, but that is likely to change today.  Current conditions on the mountain are especially cloudy and windy, with some rain bands showing up on the radar.  There is a solid chance of precip tomorrow as well, with day time highs less reminiscent of spring.  If you plan on tackling the mountain this weekend, please dress appropriately for a safe and enjoyable trek.
     Have a great weekend!

Good Afternoon,
     It's been an exceptionally warm and sunny day here in East Tennessee.  Temperatures at the lodge got up to 48 degrees yesterday, with an overnight low of 42.  Some rain clouds came through and dropped 0.4" of liquid precipitation on the mountain.  At the llama farm and reservations office, temps have been hovering in the mid 70's...balmy!  One can look around and already see the first of the year's Daffodils ready to pop.
     With the steady rains of late, trails to the lodge are sure to be soggy.  Fortunately, one won't have to worry about snow and ice for the time being.  While Seth is away from the mountain a couple days, we'll work to keep readers up to speed with conditions up top.
     In anticipation of the coming season, we're already taking steps to improve and enhance the guest experience, which includes revamping this very blog.  Take a look at some of the updated tabs above where we've added valuable information for our guests and followers.  It is our goal to get visitors as well equipped as possible for future trips to the lodge, while also helping to satisfy our readers' thirst for knowledge describing their favorite mountain.  Enjoy and keep an eye out for more!
​     Have a great rest of the day.

Good Afternoon,                                                              

It’s currently 44 degrees and sunny up top. Yesterday’s high was 44 degrees with an overnight low 40 degrees. There is a steady breeze blowing through camp, but the sunshine is a sight for sore eyes.

--

I descended the mountain, knowing that my day would end back up top. The plan to be off Mt. Le Conte for a few days was pushed back a little bit. Hiking without a worry, I was happy to have one more day in the Smokies.

My morning errands reminded me that I indeed lived somewhere close to the heavens. Driving around the Gatlinburg Bypass, I pulled into the overlook parking lot. At that very moment, the sun burst through the clouds. The Le Conte massif peaked out from the sky above. Gatlinburg lay sleepily down below. The scene was brilliantly bright and challenging to capture. I did my best. With my day already made, I finished up my list of errands and made for the trailhead.

Tomorrow, I descend again…

Onward,
Seth

Good Morning,                                                 10:00AM                                     
It’s currently 42 degrees and cloudy up top. Yesterday’s high was 46 degrees, with a low of 42. We received .77” of an inch of rain. Some small blotches of snow remain in the shadows. There is still some ice on sections of the trail.

--

It seems that some days either creep along or fly by. Yesterday was definitely a relaxing, slow day up top. I oscillated between sipping tea, diving into research, tackling pull-ups and cleaning up my living quarters. Though the day was slow, it was no less productive than any other. I was happy to plod along with the rain.

~

Walking out to check the morning weather I got the feeling that today might be similar to yesterday. The sky appeared brighter than the day before and the rain wasn’t falling, yet. I grabbed my camera and walked toward the overlook. Waiting for the sun to rise, I began focusing on the damp world around me. One thing I’ve learned about wet weather is that the some colors seem to ‘pop’ more than usual. The sky remained socked in - denying me a sunrise. Content with another slow day, I hiked back toward the lodge.

Onward,
Seth

P.s. - I'll be off the mountain for a few days. The lodge will be in good hands, but there won't be any blog updates. Talk to ya soon!

Good Morning,                                                    8:20AM                                                             
It’s currently 44 degree and raining up top. In the last 24 hours we have received a whopping 3.15” inches of rain. Yesterday’s high was 45 degrees, with an overnight low 39.

There is currently a High Wind Advisory in effect until 3:00PM. In addition to the wind advisory is a Flood Advisory. If you get the notion to hike in these challenging conditions - be extremely aware of falling limbs and debris, due to high winds.

If flooding makes it to the top of Le Conte, I guess we are all in trouble.

--

The rain continued to tatter on the wood shingles. Since noon, yesterday, the deluge has remained a constant on Mt. Le Conte. High winds whipped through the trees, creating an eerie howl. With a water bottle, a cup of coffee and thermos full of Chai tea with honey, I splashed back to the cabin. I had all the ingredients for a rainy morning up top.

Tucked away in my loft, I listened to the music coming from the clouds. The blue morning light bled through my skylight, giving the loft a cool relaxing atmosphere. My mind began to wander…to wonder.

I looked down at the letters laying on my little wooden desk. In each letter was a hand-written note. The rainy day kept me inside long enough to respond to the letters I received from readers of the blog. Listening to the symphony of rain and wind, I savored the thought of others enjoying the simple things in life as much as I.

Tat tatt tattt…the rain played on.

Onward,
Seth

Good Morning,                                                                

It’s currently 42 degree and socked in up top. Our 24 hour high is 42 degrees, with a low of 29 degrees. We received .1” of an inch of precipitation. There is still 3” of snow on the ground.

The warmer temps and pending rain will likely melt much of the remaining snow. Expect slick conditions on the trails up top. 

--

Yesterday…

Gliding down the mountain, I was happy to be outside on such a warm blue-bird day. Equally as enjoyable was getting to cross paths with so many great folks! Making good time, I rolled down into Gatlinburg, to check my mail at the NOC. With mail collected, I was already ready to be back up top. The thought of pizza jumped to the front of the line. I couldn’t resist…

Back on the Alum Cave Trail, I began the mid-afternoon hike back up the mountain. Moving well, I had the pleasure of chatting with a number of great folks along the way. Keeping an eye on my watch, I knew I was still on time for sunset. I resumed my 3.5 mph pace. Storming into the kitchen, I gulped water and made for sunset. I wouldn’t dare miss it, especially with front row seats on Cliff Tops…

Back in my loft... I slept like a content rock.

Onward,
Seth

Good Morning,                                                                

It’s currently 30 degrees and clear up top. Yesterday’s high was 33 degrees, with an overnight low of 21.

Expect plenty of ice on the trails up top.

--

Waving goodbye to the setting sun, I couldn’t help but feel sad at the loss of golden light. Good things come and go. The winds began to pick up. I stood my ground and stared at the dimming world below. The sun was well below the horizon, but the ball of fire wasn’t finished saying goodbye. Clouds in the western sky ignited with color. Another 30 minutes passed. It was getting colder. Stubborn, I lingered.

Picking up where last nights show finished, Colors exploded in the sky just before the sun crested in the eastern sky. I fought the urge to stay all day in that very spot. With a number of errands on my list, I turned and trekked back toward the lodge. Back at the lodge, I looked over my mental checklist. Pack loaded…

I descended the mountain.

Onward,
Seth

Good Afternoon,                                                              

It’s currently 30 degrees and clear up top. Yesterday’s high was 40 degrees, with an overnight low of 16 degrees. We received .63” inches of rain since yesterday’s report.

Expect the trails on Mt. Le Conte to be exceptionally icy. I wouldn’t recommend trying to come up top unless you have proper ice traction.

--

I woke to the stars shining through my bedroom window. Laying quietly in the darkness, an oversized smile smeared across my face. It was going to be a good day. The slushy path to the kitchen had frozen solid, turning yesterday’s footprints into ankle rolling craters. Inside the kitchen, I lit the stove and began the coffee process. Two fresh loaves of oatmeal bread lay on the shelf. My thoughts drifted to a glorious collaboration between bread, butter, a cast-iron skillet, and pear preserves. Drooling, I shoved the thought aside and left the kitchen - sunrise neared.

A sunrise after cloud covered days is always the most rewarding. Today’s show was no exception. A full sensory experience at it’s finest. With the deep smell of evergreens filling my nose, the wind gave me friendly shoves toward my destination. The sun brought purples and blues that left me feeling numb. I lingered as long as I could. The wind shoved me…

Reminding me to head for home.

Onward,
Seth