Good Morning,
Cloudy conditions will be prevalent over the upper elevations to kickoff this Saturday. As the hours pass, storm and rain chances increase for the afternoon. Sloppy weather is likely to persist through the evening and into early Sunday. Temps will continue to spend much of their time in the 50s at the lodge along with light winds. Overnight guests and day hikers all need to layer up for what could turn into a wet escapade in the park this weekend. The NPS trail crews completed the tree removal in the lower paved lot at Alum Cave trailhead this week, so all permissible parking areas are accessible to the public once again. Reminder that they still have another week of work to do on trail, but that won’t resume until on Monday. So day hikers will be able to utilize Alum Cave Trail this weekend too. The first catawba rhododendron have started to bloom at places like Inspiration Point, and up top at vistas like Myrtle Point its beautiful namesake plant is also putting on a show full of pinks and whites. Have a great day.
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Good Morning,
It’s starting out as a beautiful day over the Smokies. Plenty of sunshine above to surely draw travelers onto the trails. High temps should reach the upper 50s this afternoon. Clouds will build throughout the afternoon and have the potential to squeeze out a brief thunderstorm or two late this afternoon. The threat for possible rain showers will linger overnight as well. The occasional rainfall, rising temps, and what feels like the arrival of that famous (or infamous) southern humidity sure has all the vegetation filling in and greening up quickly these days. Soon the upper elevations will be leafing out just like the lowlands did after what seems like ages ago. Have a great day. Good Morning,
Well, yesterday turned out to be a pretty nice day on the mountain. Plenty of powerful storms rolled through East Tennessee as anticipated, they just didn’t quite reach far enough to pound our location quite like they did elsewhere. We have some lingering spotty showers and clouds over the park to start this Wednesday, but they should be clearing out by lunch time. We won’t be as warm up top today, with temps likely to stay in the 50s along with light winds. The NPS Trail Crews are already making rapid improvements to Alum Cave Trail. One area in particular that required travelers to make exceptionally large stretches over an awkward sloping rock now has safe and convenient steps chiseled out. Folks use to taking this trail up and down the mountain multiple times will surely appreciate the update. We look forward to seeing what other improvements come to fruition this week and next on one of the Smokies’ most popular foot paths. Have a great day. Good Morning,
It’s a foggy summit again this morning. Temps are in the low 50s and the occasional breeze causes spruce limbs to dance in the wind. Cloud cover will be the norm this morning until the sun has a chance to burn it off, then around lunch time the storm chances flare up. We expect to see wet weather, gusty winds, and potentially heavy rainfall depending on how storm cells strike this afternoon and into tomorrow morning. Even the valley is on notice for possible tornadic activity. Everyone is best to take care of business early today on trail before the outdoor elements decide to worsen. Afternoon high temps should creep into the lower 60s. Once this system rolls through, skies should improve and make for better hiking conditions tomorrow afternoon. Have a great day. Good Morning,
Partly cloudy skies overhead and across the valley greet mountain top dwellers this Monday morning. Conditions are going to be calm at our elevation until this afternoon, when stormy weather is supposed to settle in for the next couple days. Right now the second half of today, much of Tuesday, and early Wednesday have the highest chances of rain and storms hounding the mountains. These are the types of conditions, along with warmer temps, where it could be decent one minute, then a pop-up shower forms above and brings strong winds and unloads heavy precip. So pack those layers in a place you can grab them quickly if needed while on trail. Temps at the top will continue to bounce between 50s and 60s the first half of this week. Reminder that the NPS Trail Crews are scheduled to perform trail maintenance on Alum Cave this week and next, from Monday - Thursday both stints. Above the bluffs and to the lodge will be closed to day hikers throughout. Guests with reservations need to carry with them some form of confirmation that they are set to stay with us when coming upon the closure area. And at some point, the lower paved lot containing the privy at the trailhead will also be temporarily closed for hazard tree removal. Since this will mean a reduction in available parking spaces on some days, guests still looking to utilize Alum Cave should arrive early enough to secure a permissible parking spot in the upper paved lot or along available roadside pullouts. Have a great day. Good Morning,
It’s another gray, foggy mountaintop to start this Sunday. We were fortunate enough to dodge the rain yesterday except for a few late evening sprinkles. The forecast for today has improved, in that we should experience a mix of sun and clouds much of the day. There is a chance for some pop-up storms later this afternoon and around supper time. Heading into the next week, Monday and Tuesday are looking pretty sloppy. Pack those layers for staying dry. Reminder that NPS Trail Crews will begin work on Alum Cave Trail tomorrow. Partial closures of the trail between the bluffs and lodge will take place Monday - Thursday this coming week and next. Only lodge guests with reservations will be granted passage through the closure area, not day hikers. Guests should have copies of their reservation confirmations either printed or on their phones to show NPS personnel. At one point a large portion of the lower paved lot next to the privies will be closed as well for hazard tree removal, briefly limiting the available parking. Have a great day. Good Morning,
Yesterday the mountain top was able to stay mostly dry, as storms kept to the north until a brief shower finally struck around supper time. A cap cloud currently sits atop the crest keeping the lodge in a soupy fog as thick as our potato chowder. Storm chances will increase throughout the day today, particularly between lunch time and sunset. So any visitors scaling the mountain today are best to take care of business early if they desire to stay dry on trail. Wet weather chances for Mother’s Day Sunday look very much the same for our location. Temps will thankfully hold steady in the 50s and 60s for the foreseeable future. A good sign that winter has finally been given the boot. Plus the grounds continue to green up around camp, with the first grass cutting having already been completed. Remember the rain gear this weekend. Have a great day. Good Afternoon,
We’re bouncing in and out of the clouds with occasional views over the valley this Friday. Conditions are also a bit breezier today than of late, with gusts of 20mph expected. Skies over the mountains will be suitable for hiking this morning, then around lunch time the first line of storms should arrive. The rest of the afternoon and evening could be wet for anyone caught out late on trail today. The rest of the weekend is calling for a steady mix of storms, so everyone needs to come prepared with gear for staying dry. Thankfully temps will be holding steady between the 40s and 60s. Have a great day. Good Afternoon,
Aside from the occasional cloud, we have another beautiful day lined up for us here atop Mt. LeConte. It’s comfortably warm at the lodge with temps nearing 60° once again. There is an ever-so-slight chance for a pop-up rain shower this afternoon, otherwise conditions should remain decent for travelers. The wet weather returns tonight though and appears as though it will be sticking around the better part of the whole next week. So anyone hoping to tackle the mountain over the Mother’s Day weekend should plan on stormy skies being the norm. Beginning next week, the NPS Trail Crews will be doing some rehabilitation work of Alum Cave Trail. As a result, the upper section of trail between the bluffs and lodge will be temporarily closed for maintenance from 5/15-5/18 and 5/22-5/25. Day hikers will not be allowed access above the bluffs, but the NPS is permitting lodge guests with overnight reservations to pass through. Guests should have a printout of their reservation confirmation or a screenshot on their phone readily available to present to the NPS Trail Crews for being granted passage through the work area. During this same time, some hazardous tree removal will also be taking place at the Alum Cave trailhead. A large portion of the lower paved lot - the one with the pit toilets - will also be closed. Beginning on Sunday, overnight guests need to avoid parking in the lower paved lot tin case crews are scheduled to start the removal process Monday morning. As soon as we’ve been notified by the NPS that the work is complete and all visitors are permitted passage along Alum Cave’s entirety, we will share that info here. Have a great day. Good Morning,
It’s going to be a beautiful day on the mountain. Sunny skies are overhead and pleasant hiking conditions are expected from start to finish. Temps could reach the mid 60s this afternoon and winds are to remain light. These are the kind of days where enjoying a nap at Myrtle Point is most appealing. Tomorrow looks like it could be a repeat before the forecast turns sour for the weekend. Have a great day. |
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 2024
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