 HELLO, FOLKS! Highway 441 was opened again at 9:00 AM! This morning I was greeted by clear skies and temperatures 20 degrees cooler than yesterday. The Lodge received almost an inch of rain yesterday. The trails around the top of the mountain are icy this morning—bring your traction devices! I considered posting a picture of the date on the front of the dining hall today—you only get to see “FEBRUARY 29” once every four years. On this date in 2004 I started my northbound thru hike on the Appalachian Trail, so it’s a very special day in my life! HAPPY TRAILS!! WILDCAT/Bert 
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 Good Morning! Highway 441 was closed yesterday afternoon because of a high wind warning from the National Weather Service, and the road remains closed today. Gusts upward of 75mph are anticipated. The current temperature here at the lodge is 44 degrees—slightly warmer than yesterday. The high yesterday was 47 degrees. The combination of high temperatures and high winds has melted most of the remaining snow and ice. But cold temps in the teens are coming back by tonight. There is a 100 percent chance of rain today, probably starting in the early afternoon and continuing into the evening hours. It might even transition over to snow before all is said and done. This past Monday our management team hiked up Trillium Gap Trail to assess trail conditions for downed trees that will have to be removed before the llamas can start packing supplies in a month’s time. There is a tremendous amount of trail work that needs to be done during the next month on several Mt. LeConte trails before the lodge reopens. Trillium Gap and Bull Head have taken a beating, while Rainbow Falls has a decent sized blowdown near the top. Hopefully the weather will cooperate so that NPS crews can make quick work of it! HAPPY TRAILS!! WILDCAT/Bert   Hello, Everyone! It’s unseasonably warm here on Mt LeConte! Cloudy and windy and 38 degrees. The temperature reached 50 degrees yesterday. There are still many patches of ice and snow remaining on the ground, so exercise caution if you choose to hike today—carry traction devices! Highway 441 is open at 7:00 AM, but may be closed at some time today because of a high wind advisory. Sorry—the heavy cloud cover prevented me from getting any fantastic sunrise pictures this morning. Be prepared, be safe! HAPPY TRAILS!! WILDCAT/Bert   Good Morning, Everyone! I was able to see the moon setting in the west again this morning for a very brief time. Then the clouds filled the sky. The current temperature is 37 degrees—15 degrees warmer than yesterday! And it’s windier. 40 degree temperatures during the afternoon yesterday aided in melting about half of the snow, but we still have about a couple of inches of snow and patches of ice remaining. It would be best to continue to keep your traction devices handy in case you should need them. One of the day hikers that I met yesterday was Davy Crockett—really! I once met Roy Rogers in New Mexico when I was backpacking on the CDT in 2007. I hope that y’all have a marvelous Monday! HAPPY TRAILS!! WILDCAT/Bert   GOOD MORNING! It is a beautiful clear morning on Mt LeConte today! I got up just in time to observe the full moon setting in the west. Then I was treated to a delightful sunrise in the eastern sky. This was followed immediately by a cup of freshly brewed hot black coffee. What a way to start the day! Highway 441 to Newfound Gap remains closed this morning. I was anticipating six inches of snow, but the Lodge only received about three inches of snow. The current temperature is 20 degrees—about 5 degrees cooler than yesterday. If you are thinking about going out and playing in the fresh snow today traction devices are recommended because there is plenty of ice remaining beneath a thin layer of dry powder snow at the higher elevations. HAPPY TRAILS!! WILDCAT/Bert   Good Morning, Everyone! My radio just announced that this is a “Super Saturday!”—I certainly hope that’s so! Highway 441 is open, but that could change as the day progresses. The current temperature here at the lodge is 22 degrees and it has been snowing for about an hour. Six inches of snow has been forecast for elevations above 6,000 feet. That would include my neighborhood. The Mt LeConte shelter was almost full last night. There was one man from Galatia, TN. There was a large group mostly from the Knoxville area. Almost all of them confessed to reading this blog regularly and knew that I was WILDCAT. Several had thruhiked the Appalachian Trail. All seemed to be well equipped and had traction devices. One had worked at an outfitter store in Knoxville. They are headed to Pecks Corner Shelter today. HAPPY TRAILS!! WILDCAT/Bert   HOWDY! The weather at Mt LeConte Lodge this morning is very interesting and/or confusing! During the past hour I have observed a “wintery mix” of rain and snow, clear skies with good view of Pigeon Forge, then fog so thick that I couldn’t see my cabin from the kitchen door, and now big flakes of snow! When I caution hikers to be prepared for anything and everything, I’m as serious as a heart attack—the weather can change very quickly in the mountains. The current temperature is 32 degrees and could go up or down without warning. LeConte received a half inch of rain last night making the trails slushy and/or slippery up here at the lodge—so (of course) traction devices are strongly recommended. But this too shall pass—and then we’re supposed to receive more snow! Just try to make the best of whatever Mother Nature decides to send your way! HAPPY TRAILS!! WILDCAT/Bert   GOOD MORNING! It’s obvious when you step outside that the weather is changing here on the mountain. After three or four calm days the wind is picking up. The current temperature is 35 degrees—about ten degrees warmer than the past two mornings. Rain is predicted for late afternoon. The day hiker traffic here was heavier yesterday. Many were local folks who I recognized and who knew me. It was almost like a hiker reunion at times. One couple and boy were from Flint, Michigan. This was the fourth time that the lady and boy had visited Mt LeConte. She gave me a ceramic cup that she had made and carried up in her pack! One of the local men commented that “most of the people who hike up LeConte are good folks.” HAPPY TRAILS!! WILDCAT/Bert   Good Morning from LeConte Lodge! “Oh Lord, I hope that this day is good!” We’re off to a good start. I’m sitting in the kitchen enjoying a fresh hot cup of black coffee, listening to classic Bluegrass music on the radio, and watching a beautiful sunrise. The current temperature is 26 degrees and the sky is clear. There’s about two inches of snow remaining on the ground up here. The next precipitation is forecast for late Thursday. Please do yourself a favor and DO NOT leave your traction devices in your closet or the trunk of your car! Seriously—I overheard several day hikers comment yesterday that they wished that they had not done so. Select appropriate clothing and footwear! The young lady who was wearing western boots probably wished that she had chosen hiking boots with a good tread! Be prepared for anything and everything when you start hiking up the mountain. Enjoy this beautiful weather while you can. HAPPY TRAILS!! WILDCAT/Bert   Good Morning, Y’all! Another gorgeous sunrise greeted me this morning—it appears that we are preparing for another beautiful day on Mt LeConte! Yesterday’s high temperature was 42 degrees and the low temperature was 20 degrees. There is still a couple of inches of snow remaining on the ground here on top of the mountain. The trail above Alum Cave Bluffs is still very icy, so you should be prepared and bring your traction devices. Most of the hikers who attempted to come up yesterday without them were unable to make it to the top! Also be advised that there are major blow downs on the other trails that will make your progress more difficult. I was attempting to clear the ice and snow from the stairs in front of the dining hall yesterday when a day hiker from Maryville surprised me with a jar of strawberry preserves “for the biscuits that you bake.” Much appreciated! I hope that you have a great day! HAPPY TRAILS!! WILDCAT/Bert  |
LeConte LodgeWelcome to the official blog of LeConte Lodge. We hope you find the information provided here both helpful and enjoyable. Thank you for visiting the site, and we hope to see you on the mountain! Archives
April 2025
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