Good Morning,
And just like that, we have reached the last day in June. Certainly feels like one of those “blink and you missed it” type of months. Perhaps because the mountain has been an absolute beehive of activity day-to-day that our dedicated and inspiring crew has had little time to think about anything else. The current forecast has contributed to a somewhat more subdued summit compared to the four weekends prior, but with the major American holiday approaching, there are plenty of busy days and weeks still to come. Despite their threats, the rain never quite materialized over the mountain yesterday, save for a handful of brief mists and sprinkles throughout the day. The clouds held their stranglehold of the crest with only occasional glimpses of sunshine and views into the valley. When that bright orb did break through, one sure could feel the heat though. Clouds are clinging to the slopes this morning, swirling in and out, while storms slowly work their way across the state toward our direction. By this afternoon, we could start hearing some rumbles and receiving some liquid precip. Day hikers who are quick on their feet should be able to make their treks up and down safely this morning without much fear in the way of getting wet. Otherwise anyone anticipating a long day spent in the outdoors needs to come prepared with the right clothes and gear for some potentially nasty weather. Even small hail is being mentioned by forecasters. Temps will be toasty once again today as we should see the upper 60s. Once we get past today, the first couple days of July look sunny and beautiful. There might even be a brief cool down, at least in our neck of the woods! Have a great day.
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Good Morning,
The clouds have made for a moody and mysterious mountain top this Saturday morning. Thick dew coats the grass and condensation too heavy to cling to spruce needles drips sporadically on roof shingles and pathways. Apart from the occasional cool breeze, it’s another sticky day in the hollers and atop ridges of the Smokies. The rain predictions seem to be all over the place today, some calling for chances this morning while others project I precip until late this afternoon. Best to just plan for it all to happen and savor any special moments of sunshine. Odds are temps will remain in the 60s all weekend, with the possibility of rain and storms continuing tomorrow as well. Will the weather deter weekend warriors from scaling the mountain after what has been a busy month, or will the newest crowds rolling into town for the coming holiday start their trips off with a beast and see the congested trails continue? We shall see! Have a great day. Good Morning,
As we head into the fifth and final weekend of June, the forecast is setting up to be a stormy one. Travelers will get to enjoy a rather pleasant morning today, with skies being a mix of sun and fog. Shortly after lunch, a few hours of rainfall are expected, which hopefully will clear out in time for guests to partake of a famous Cliff Tops sunset tonight. For Saturday and Sunday, the possibility of more rain and thunderstorms increases quite a bit. Don’t hit the trails without having those ponchos and umbrellas in tow this weekend, or you’ll set yourself up for a miserable hike. Temps will range from upper 50s to upper 60s at our elevation over the coming days, so fairly mild. Winds will be mostly calm but could turn gusty at the onset of any popup storms. If there’s something to be admired by all this turbulent weather, it’s that skies from our 6,000+ feet vantage point offer some stunning scenes. The numerous cloud layers, billowing thunderheads, vivid colors of earth and sky, and long rays of light dancing thru the gaps make for absolutely magical sights. They can be quite common in the summer months courtesy of all this heat and humidity. During the frigid months of winter, not so much, although there tends to be greater air clarity in general. Always worth taking a moment to stop and admire the beauty of nature. Have a great day. Good Morning,
The weather is switching it up today, from sunny and hot to cloudy and wet, although the humidity sure isn’t going anywhere! Scattered storms began rolling into the region overnight and are expected to be on and off all day. Views will also be harder to come by, particularly at the upper elevations, so long as these clouds cling snuggly to the peaks. Odds are that the mountaintop and approach trails will be less busy today, but hopefully everyone that does tempt the climb comes dressed for the soggy conditions. We saw new high temps for the year yesterday and Tuesday, both days tagging 72° at the lodge. There’s plenty of summer to go still, and with how toasty this month has been, one sure figures hotter days are coming in July. That might not seem bad to those folks residing in the lowlands savoring the assistance of A/C, fans, pools, and icy drinks donning lime wedges and tiny umbrellas. Up here we don’t have those things, left simply to rely on the hope of an occasional cool mountain breeze to combat the stagnant air and stickiness. Much of our time will be spent in the 60s now and through the weekend, along with continued rain and storm chances to close out June. We’re hearing that Bull Head Trail has now been cleared of downed trees by the courageous NPS trail crews. There’s still a decent amount of dense summer overgrowth to contend with, which is the case for a number of Mt. LeConte’s trails. But at least Bull Head can be navigated much more easily now for the average hiker. Given its south and west facing location, just know it gets incredibly hot on that side of the mountain during afternoon hours. And keep a sharp eye and tuned ear out for timber rattle snakes. They especially like the canopy-less areas that got decimated by the fires several years ago along the bottom half of the trail. Have a great day. Good Morning,
Sunny over the Smokies, hot in the hills, toasty on the trails. It’s a clear summer day in East Tennessee once again. The summit has hit 70° a couple times in recent weeks, and with this next heat wave it’s expected to eclipse the mark by a couple degrees this afternoon. Swimming and splashing in creeks will make for some great fun in these conditions, while a hike with any decent incline will soak someone just as equally but with sweat. Keep those electrolytes or substantive snacks flowing! Beginning late this evening the storm chances for the region return, and are likely to linger the next few days. There will be breaks in the action, but be sure and pack the rain gear for a storm decides to pop up unannounced. Color continues to climb the slopes of Mt. LeConte. The pinks and purples of Dwarf Rhododendron have filled in nicely from Inspiration Point all the way to the lodge. It looks like the black bears will have good pickings between the blackberries and mountain ash, each in full bloom as we speak before fruit ripens in several more weeks. Meanwhile around lodge grounds, the greenery is getting taller and thicker, almost swallowing some of the newborn fawns as they frolic and play. Have a great day. Good Morning,
What a nice break it was to get some rain and a breeze yesterday. During the early morning hours, storms and showers rolled through the region bringing some much needed precip, dropping about one and a third inches of rainfall. The trade off though between that and the dense cloud cover was an incredibly jacked up humidity. The kind that smacks you in the face when you open the door to step outside and instantly feels like gravity is pulling you down harder than usual because of the weight. Hiking the mountain yesterday morning would have caused anyone to appear as though they just took a swim in all their hiking gear, despite the rain showers having long since concluded. Thankfully, such summer misery was expelled once the skies cleared and the breezes ramped up. At the lodge, conditions became quite pleasant during the afternoon, even in the full sun. Our beloved pack llamas sure didn’t mind it! It was an appreciated break from what has been an oppressive June so far, but it will also be short lived. The hotter temps return with a vengeance today across all elevations, with mid 90s in the lowlands and near 70° up top. Full sun and clear skies are expected from start to finish. Trails should be drier today after giving all that rain a chance to runoff yesterday. Hydration, nutrition, early starts, frequent breaks, sun protection…all essential if you want to have an enjoyable trek on the mountain today and over the coming week. Have a great day. Good Morning,
Another beautiful June weekend on the mountain has been gifted to us once again. Yesterday the mountain was absolutely bustling, as one would expect this time of year, with the trailhead at Alum Cave filling up shortly after 6:00 AM from the most eager of hikers. Saturday was certainly one of those days where one was always in sight and sound of other humans from top to bottom. That has been the case on numerous occasions this season. Hard to argue against Mt. LeConte being the most sought after summit in GSMNP this year! Although the top of the mountain was mostly overcast yesterday, there was still ample sunshine to be had along the trails, offering grand but hazy views all around. What little storm chances there were for the afternoon never came to fruition, at least in our zip code, so the heat and humidity won out once again. Today is shaping up to be another sunny and gorgeous day to play in the mountains. Our thermometer should scrape 70° later while the lowlands continue to endure those highs in the 90s. This hot trend does not appear to be changing anytime soon, so the message of hydration and nutrition remains as essential as ever. Some good news is that late tonight and into Monday morning we should finally receive some rain. That’ll be appreciated for a number of reasons. The mountain won’t be setting a new all-time low for monthly rainfall, but at the moment we’re only 0.06” above the mark set in June 2022, so still pretty darn dry. All the more reason to take the forecasts and conditions seriously when exploring the backcountry. Have a great day. Good Morning,
The mountain was certainly the happening place yesterday. Folks from all over chose to spend the longest day of the year atop the majestic Mt. LeConte, hitting the trails early and spending as much time outside as possible. Yesterday’s summer solstice was the earliest it’s been since George Washington was president, for those who didn’t know, which predates even this 100 seasons-old lodge by quiiiite a bit. Sort of a unique bit of trivia this close to Independence Day too. In this part of the country, we now max out at about 14.5 hours of daylight, with the sun rising after 6:15 AM and setting just before 9:00 PM. Guests this time of year have ample opportunities to catch both solar spectacles from Myrtle Point and Cliff Tops without having to rush to or from either meal service. And decent weather ensuring clear skies for both sure helps with the motivation. Speaking of weather, the theme of sunny skies, hot temps, humid air, and hazy views will continue for at least one more day. Beginning Saturday, the chances for popup thunderstorms in the afternoon return. The possibilities are slim tomorrow, but gradually increase over the next few days. So best to include the ponchos in the backpack just in case. Otherwise, everyone should be loading up on hydration, snacks, and sun protection for spending time on the mountain. We’ll be hovering in the upper 60s once again today, while overnight lows remain comfortably in the 50s. Whatever winds our level in the atmosphere musters, if any, will be welcome against these summery conditions not looking to go anywhere soon. Expect park roads, trailheads, and walking paths to bustling once again this weekend. Have a great day. Good Morning,
Some cloud layers streak across the sky to start this Wednesday, but it shouldn’t take long for the rising sun to burn them off and give travelers clearer skies to bask in. No precip chances this afternoon for a change. Temps will waste no time in getting toasty and creeping close to 70°. Whatever winds come about will be light but certainly feel good, especially during the hike up. Bears. Bikes. Battlestar Galactica…or something like that…(IYKYK) BEARS Are active, more so now that we are deep into the warmer part of the year. While their presence hasn’t been felt at the lodge or nearby backcountry shelter, they are routinely being seen lower down along the various trails. One place of regularity is on Alum Cave Trail in the range of 1-1.5 miles down from the lodge. Apparently there’s some satisfactory foraging to be had for a mama bear and her three (!!!) cubs, which also happens to be in close proximity to the trail. No aggressive behavior by the bears has been reported at this time, but it’s important that visitors maintain safe distances and do not make the bears feel threatened by getting too close or passing between them. These mountains are their home after all, and we are the visitors. Great info about black bears and how to engage them can be found on the NPS website. BIKES You’re probably wondering “what on earth do bikes have to do with the happenings on Mt. LeConte?” Well, we’re all in agreement there, but oddly enough the subject needs to be broached. Are bicycles permitted in GSMNP? Yes, along many of the park’s public roadways, campgrounds, and the famous Cades Cove loop. Only three trails exist (Gatlinburg, Oconaluftee, and lower Deep Creek) where mountain biking is permitted. Are bicycles permitted on the trails of Mt. LeConte? No, see above. Did someone have a bicycle on Mt. LeConte? Sadly, yes. Did this upset visitors? Also yes. Obviously when a disrespectful and disobedient delinquent decides that national park rules regarding safety and care don’t apply to them, it creates all kinds of problems. Exhibit A - yesterday afternoon on Alum Cave Trail. Bikes on trails not designated for their use causes damage to the terrain, puts the user and hundreds of other hikers at risk, and creates more unnecessary work for those charged with maintaining the trails for hiking or performing medical rescues. If you see someone behaving this poorly in the future, please report it to NPS law enforcement. Info about bicycling in GSMNP can also be found on the NPS website. BATTLESTAR GALACTICA Odds are that someone on crew within the last 100 seasons has watched an episode or two at the lodge with the assistance of rabbit ears and a remote power source. Probably over a bowl of popcorn. Or even beets! Have a great day. Good Morning,
Aside from a few patchy clouds straddling the park’s upper elevations, we should have an otherwise mostly sunny day ahead of us. There is an ever-so-slight chance for a rain shower this afternoon, but not something that should derail anyone’s plans for a day out on the trail. Occasional storms hit their marks yesterday, as was expected, but now that’s behind us and hot, humid, and hazy days are lining up. High temps near 70° are called for this afternoon and in the coming days with overnight lows unlikely to escape the upper 50s. Current temps and humidity really make that air feel heavy on the lungs for anyone not used to exerting themselves in such conditions. That’s why making the ascent earlier in the day is beneficial. Avoiding as much uphill climbing during the heat of the afternoon is best, whereas going downhill while temps are at their hottest transfers the burden away from a more labored breathing for some. Although one’s knees might have something to say about it. Who knows, perhaps a quick dip in one of the many creeks flowing down the mountain sounds appealing for a relief from the heat. Either way, please take these conditions seriously if considering any kind of strenuous outdoor activity. 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
June 2024
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