US Highway 441 (Newfound Gap Road) is open! Alum cave awaits you! It’s a gorgeous day on my favorite mountain!

Good morning from your favorite frosted mountain,


It’s another snowy morning at 6593’. The high yesterday was 18 degrees. The overnight low was a balmy 6 degrees. It was 12 degrees and cloudy with light snow at 7am observation. We received 0.26” of precipitation. We accumulated 1” of new snow bringing our total to 7”. I am blessed to be here to witness the beauty! Alum is sure to have knee deep drifts in certain sections and will be challenging navigating the higher portion of the trail, so be safe and use the cables! Traction devices are not needed until we have a freeze/thaw cycle, but you should always have them in your pack. Hwy 441 (Newfound Gap) road is closed so Alum and Boulevard are not accessible. Cherokee Orchard is open so Brushy, Trillium, Rainbow, and Bullhead are your only options. Trails have not been broken much yet, so it will be a long hike up! Start early and eat plenty of good fueled food! Drink plenty of water! Enjoy the beauty that is here at Mt. LeConte. Clouds should break mid morning with sunshine forecasted today and tomorrow. I will be out and about playing in the snow again today!

Yesterday I spent the afternoon sledding the front long steps with friends from the Bayou (New Orleans). Thanks Janice, Kim, and Evan for all the amazing food from your hometown state.You guys Rock! The crawfish pie and jambalaya were amazing also, pictured below a peach cobbler with fresh blueberries! It’s been a great couple of days having the mountain to ourselves! Untouched trails other than our foot prints makes it feel like no one lives here but us. The weekend is sure to bring flocks of dayhikers to the mountain top to witness Mt. LeConte’s beauty. Hope you have a great day and weekend! SEE YOU AT THE TOP!

​PNUT

US Highway 441 (Newfound Gap Road) is closed due to ice/snow. Plan your trip accordingly. Cherokee Orchard remains open at this time. It’s been snowing most of the morning. Sledding the front steps has been a blast today!

Good morning from your Mt. LeConte weather man,


Its another cold snowy morning at Mt. LeConte! After a great night sleep, I awoke in the loft of my cabin. Climbing down my bare feet told me it’s cold this morning! The high yesterday was 17 degrees. The overnight low was a bone chilling 6 degrees. It was 12 degrees and a light snow dancing on the mountain. We received 0.04” of precipitation. We received trace amounts of snow. Our current snow depth is 6” but sure to change with the snow in the forecast today! Upwards of 5-10” could fall today into tomorrow! HAPPY PNUT! A “Winter Weather Advisory” has been issued until 10am Saturday. Pack your best winter gear it’s cold. High gaiters, good winter boots, traction devices should always be in your pack as well as flashlight and plenty of water! Stay safe!

SNOW DRIFTS! Wow! Alum is packed as I made my way down to mossy springs. Thigh deep drifts in the exposed areas made for an exciting hike down and back up to the lodge! All in all a great day! SEE YOU AT THE TOP!

​P-NUT

US HIGHWAY 441 is open!

Good Morning,

It’s a white and wondrous winter wonderland on the mountain! Yesterday evening’s storm dumped nearly 7” of snow, including 0.93” of liquid precip. Temps started warm as we reached a high reading of 40°, but things quickly cooled down once the snow flew. Our low bottomed out at 6° and we were still looking at single digits at observation. Clouds are present but expected to break up through out the day. A beautiful blue backdrop will really set off the scenery with everything else coated in white.

US 441 (Newfound Gap Rd) remains temporarily closed at this time. Temps are going to be frigid these next few days, with more snow expected by the weekend. Use extreme caution out in these conditions, and be sure to include traction devices and warm/dry layers with your gear if you hope to explore the backcountry.

Have a great day!

US HIGHWAY 441 is closing at 5pm today due to winter weather. Plan your trip accordingly. Stay safe folks. SEE YOU AT THE TOP!

​PNUT

Good morning from the high country,

Winter weather is on its way! A “Winter Weather Advisory” is in effect from 4pm today through 7am tomorrow morning! Talk over the NOAA channel on the radio is that we could see upwards of 8 inches of snow by Thursday morning! “Happy Guy”! The high yesterday was a very warm 44 degrees, with spring like temperatures down below. The overnight low only dropped down to 33 degrees. It was 34 degrees and clear skies at 7am observation. We received 0 inches of precipitation. We received 0 inches of snow, our current snow depth is 0 but that’s sure to change by tomorrow morning. More snow is in the forecast for Friday into Saturday, so we will see how much we get after this is all said and done. Trails were in great shape yesterday when I hiked down Alum Cave. Traction devices will be needed after today with the drop in temperatures. Also, pack plenty of water and your best winter gear! It will be cold up top the next couple days. Be smart if you venture out into the park with the winter weather coming in. All roads are open as of now, but sure to change by Thursday morning. Be sure to check before heading into the park.

Well, all supplies needed for the water system are up top! That was a rough trip back up the mountain yesterday! My trusted ULA pack was weighted down with 40 pounds of grocery’s and of course I got my “Hot Cheetos”! I ran into a guy almost to the lodge that gave me some delicious blood oranges! Thanks so much for hauling those up for me! Today, I will be preparing for the snow and relaxing around camp. At the moment our local raven is strutting itself across the Llama hitches like it’s in a fashion runway! I think he know the snow is coming. They love to peck on the windows! Hope everyone has a great day! SEE YOU AT THE TOP!

P-NUT

Good morning folks,

Socked in with misty rain has taken over the morning at LeConte. A very typical Smoky Mountain weather pattern. Clouds should break mid morning with abundant sunshine and warm temperatures today! The high yesterday was 37 degrees. The overnight low came in at 22 degrees. It was cloudy and 35 degrees at 7am observation. The mountain received 0.51 inches of precipitation. We received 0 inches of new snow. There are trace amounts of snow on the ground but sure to melt today with the warmer weather. On a side note, SNOW is in the forecast for Wednesday- Thursday and Friday-Saturday with upwards of 7-13 inches possible after its said and done! “HAPPY GUY” right here! Traction devices are not needed to reach the summit, just a love for the mountain and all its surroundings!

Recharged after an great night sleep in my cozy cabin! Feet hitting the wood floor, I am ready for another day of “TRAINING DAY”! I will be hiking down Alum Cave to hike up supplies needed for the water system. Caffeinated and ready to roll, I laced up my trusted Altra Lone Peaks! I will also be going to the grocery store for bread and milk before the snow sweeps through the mountain. Not really, high on the list is “HOT CHEETOS”! Hope you all have a great day!
SEE YOU AT THE TOP!

P-NUT

KEROSENE FEEDS THE FLAME, OIL LAMPS IN HIS NAME

Good morning folks,

Clouds have taken over the mountain with light snow and freezing rain coming down at 6593’. The high yesterday was a warm 41 degrees. The low came in at 24 degrees. It was 22 and cloudy at 7 am observation. We received 0.04 inches of precipitation and trace amounts of snow. All roads are open but talk over the park radio is that Hwy 441 is getting icy so check before heading into the park. Traction devices were not needed yesterday but with the freeze/thaw cycle I’m sure they would be handy to reach the summit. Pack rain gear as today looks to be a wet day on the mountain!

Yesterday’s hike up with new spigots for the lodge has me exhausted! Shoulders are sore and I will be taking it easy today reading, making fresh bread and laundry. Our local snowman is still holding strong outside the kitchen! He was a hit this weekend with all the hikers at the lodge. Snow is in the forecast for Wednesday so we will see how much we receive. Hope everyone has a wonderful day! SEE YOU AT THE TOP!

P-NUT

” I am glad I will not be young in a future without wilderness” -Aldo Leopold”