 Good morning, It’s currently 9 degrees and socked in up top. There is currently 4” inches of snow on the ground. 24 hour temperature range: High 16 Low 9 *US Hwy 441/Newfound Gap Rd from Gatlinburg TN to Cherokee NC is temporarily closed due to snow/ice. Stay up to date on road conditions here: https://goo.gl/HikrMr -- The mountain was exceptionally calm as I made my morning rounds. If my watch didn’t remind me that it was March, I would have mistaken the scene for those cold days of deep December. In only a couple days this barren lodge would be teeming with activity. Soon after, guests will be free to indulge in the beauty of Le Conte Lodge. Kicking through the snow drifts, I wandered through the same areas I’d seen every morning; and yet, this familiar landscape always showed me something new. It was always different in some way. I’ve walked into buildings that look the same as the day I was born - but out here in nature, the same place is always a little different, changed in some way….I liked that. Back in the kitchen, warm kerosene lamps gave the room a comfortable glow. The ancient kettle creaked and moaned from flame roaring on its haunches. I settled into my nook. The same nondescript corner of the kitchen JP would huddle towards - it didn’t take me long to find out why. As the propane heater warmed my back, I opened my computer and began the days blog. A hot cup of Lady Grey tea would soon aid in the thawing process. Spring was coming. Onward, Seth  No winter lasts forever; no spring skips its turn.
—Hal Borland
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 Good morning, It’s currently 11 degrees and socked in up top. Strong winds continue to gust around the mountain. Overnight, we received 4” inches of new snow. 24-hour temperature range: High 42 Low 13 *US Hwy 441/Newfound Gap Rd from Gatlinburg TN to Cherokee NC is temporarily closed due to snow/ice. Stay up to date on road conditions here: https://goo.gl/HikrMr -- Stealing one last glimpse of the stars from my bedroom skylight, I crawled into bed. Would the snow come? How could it? I drifted into a deep sleep - the kind of sleep only a remote cabin in the mountains could bring. My alarm gently hummed; the wind chimed in. Too dark to see well, I did my best to observe the landscape from the window. I didn’t have to look far. Snow clung to the branches near the window. “Ahhh yes,” I sighed as I got out of bed. One more snow had come - One more conversation with old man winter - One more dance atop Mt. Le Conte. I grabbed the lantern and left the kitchen. Snow stung my face as the winds raced across the mountain. I smiled on as I trudged through the fluffy landscape… What a great day it would be. Onward, Seth  “When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the world.”
― John Muir  “It's not what you look at that matters, it's what you see.” - Henry David Thoreau Good morning,
It’s currently 35 degrees with heavy fog. We received .45” of precipitation. 24 Hour temperature range: High 42 Low 32 -- Yesterday’s overcast sky descended on Mt. Le Conte in the night. I woke to some of the thickest fog I’d seen. With Le Conte’s spooky factor on level ten, I geared up and began hiking around camp. The relatively cool temperature felt incredible. I wandered about. I began to think of how I would spend my last handful of days up top. My original plan to hike/ run all of the open trails providing access to the lodge was well on its way. Sunday’s hike along the Trillium Gap Trail was an enjoyable one. Today, would be one of my last forays on the Boulevard. Easily one of my all-time favorite trails, the seldom traveled ridge always provided that thing I look forward to - solitude. Tomorrow, I would aim to pay Rainbow Falls a final visit. With the Bullhead Trail closed, that would leave only the Alum Cave Trail for the final descent. Happy with the plan, I wandered on - still thinking about the details of the final days of this winter season. Onward, Seth  Sad soul, take comfort, nor forget That sunrise never failed us yet. – Celia Thaxter Good morning,
It’s currently 35 degrees and partly cloudy up top. 24 Hour temperature range: High 48 Low 26 -- I woke well rested. Yesterday’s hike down Alum Cave Trail and up Trillium Gap Trail guaranteed me a quality night of sleep. My pack full of vegetables only added to the guarantee. Looking out the window toward the East, I saw speckled cloud flakes in the sky. I had a feeling that this would be a special sunrise. I hopped out of bed and made for the kitchen. Standing in the kitchen, I looked over the bag of coffee beans sitting on the shelf. That was the only attention they would receive. My break from caffeine steered me for the tea. Looking outside, I realized that I didn’t have time for either option. I grabbed my tripod and made for the overlook… The rest was history. Onward, Seth  Good morning, It’s currently 28 degrees and clear up top. Plan for icy trails in the higher elevations. 24-hour Temperature Range: High 31 Low 17 -- After another beautiful day up top, I watched the sun drift below the horizon. The skies glowed, just like the day before. Happy with a similar show, I made for the lodge. Dinner was on my mind. I dried the last clean dish and put it away. Looking up at the clock on the wall, it read 8:20PM. My usual schedule would place me in the loft with a big cup of tea. Tonight, I wanted to do something a little different. I knew the moon would be rising soon. I made for Myrtle Point. Standing atop Myrtle Point, I watched the Saturday traffic of Pigeon Forge slowly progress. To the east, the spotlight, I came to see, slowly climbed toward the heavens. Savoring the view, the want for tea and sleep crept in. I walked west - into the darkness. Onward, Seth  “I like to think that the moon is there even if I am not looking at it.” –Albert Einstein
 Good morning, It’s currently 24 degrees and clear up top. Strong north winds make the lodge feel much cooler. With these cooler temperatures, ice will be prevalent on the trails. 24 hour temperature range: High 24 Low 15 -- Clear skies dominated the landscape. Sitting on Cliff Tops, I gazed toward the south-west as the sun slowly lowered in the sky. I could hear the cold winds gusting from the north. Mt. Le Conte shielded me from the squall. Content with my current situation, I nestled into the curvature of the exposed rock beneath me. The sun kissed the horizon. The world glowed red - smitten. The sun was gone; yet, I remained on the ledge. Transfixed by the afterglow, I noticed something shining down to right. Gatlinburg had taken over the job of illuminating the skies. The twilight began to fade… I made for home. Onward, Seth  “I love to be alone. I never found the companion that was so companionable as solitude.” ~ Henry David Thoreau
 Good morning, It’s currently 18 degrees and clear up top. We didn’t accumulate any snow, but the mountain did get a nice frosting. We received 1.22” of precipitation. 24 Hour Temperature Range: High 43 Low 18 Hwy 441 was closed during the night due to snow and ice conditions, but it appears to be clear and re-opened. Stay up to date on road conditions below. https://goo.gl/HikrMr -- Glancing out my loft window, I stared at a wall of fog. I knew my hopes of a clear sky, snow, and the setting full moon would be a tall breakfast order. Crumbling back into bed, I organized my lucid thoughts and waited - my friendly alarm would soon chime. The nautical twilight gave my loft a gently glow. I peaked out of my window again. It wasn’t just fog I was seeing. The mountain was coated in a thin layer of frost. Perfect! I thought. Grabbing my gear I made for the door. I took care of my duties before I wandered off. I started by melting the frozen precipitation in the measuring tube. Once melted, I had all the information I needed to call in the weather. High, low, current temp, precipitation, snow, and conditions needed to be relayed. The sun was rising somewhere behind the clouds when I made it out of the kitchen. The warm glow created a cappuccino atmosphere - warm and frosted. Continuing about the mountain, I waved hello to the birds and hiked toward the shelter to see who I might find. Surprised, I ran into two gentlemen retrieving their food from the bear-line, adjacent to the shelter. Six more lay tucked in their cozy sleeping bags. After a good conversation, I continued on my morning rounds. The thick clouds above me began to dissolve, right when I made it back to the kitchen. Brewing a cup of tea, I couldn't help but to run back outside and capture the new hues from the bluebird sky. The beauty of Le Conte took hold… 40 minutes later, I finally wandered back to the kitchen to retrieve my tea and begin the blog. So it goes, Seth  “We cling to our own point of view, as though everything depended on it. Yet our opinions have no permanence; like autumn and winter, they gradually pass away.” - Zhuang Zhou
 Good morning, It’s currently 42 degrees and raining. Since yesterday, we have received 2.2” inches of precipitation. Our 24-hour high was 44 degrees with a low of 31 degrees. -- The rain started falling late in the afternoon. Lulled to sleep, the precipitation continued deep into the night. I woke to hear the persistent tatter of rain. Mt. Le Conte would be socked-in and soaked, again. The consistent clear days and crisp sunrises were behind me, for now. The mountain was transitioning. Spring would be here soon. Hot peppermint tea accompanied me as I wandered around the lodge. The rain came in sheets. Soaking through, I snapped a couple photos with my handheld camera. The flavorful tea kept me smiling amidst the deluge. What book would hold my attention today? Maybe I would continue writing my own account of past adventures. Thinking… I made for the loft. Onward, Seth  "Spring is when you feel like whistling even with a shoe full of slush." --Doug Larson
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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
May 2022
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