It is a dreary day at the lodge. I just couldn't bring myself to take a picture of the rain, so you are getting another view from Myrtle Point. I have the last two days still fresh in my mind. They have been amazing. The high yesterday was 65º with a low of 50º. The temperature has felt like a crisp autumn day. It is hard to believe that August is knocking on our door. The kids are still playing hide and seek around camp. It is always a strange sensation when you realize summer vacations are over and the kids are only hiking up during the weekends. The crew loves watching the kids discover the magic of Mt. LeConte. It will turn any child into a lover of the outdoors.
What a fabulous day to be on the mountain. The temperature was perfect, with no humidity, and the sky was that perfect cerulean blue. I made my way out to Myrtle Point to get my dose of vitamin D. It was interesting to witness the thick layer of cloud coverage to the east of the lookout. As you can see in this photo, the clouds just stopped. They were like this for the hour I was out there. It was almost as if there was a wall and the clouds would roll back onto themselves. Luckily, Myrtle Point remained under the warm sun. The high yesterday was a perfect 67º. It did get cold enough for the heater last night. The low was 42º. That is pretty chilly for July. All in all, it was a perfect day on the mountain. I had almost forgotten what those days looked like. It was nice to be reminded.
"How glorious a greeting the sun gives the mountains." - John Muir It is hard to not have a smile on your face when you walk outside and see this view. The sunrise was awe-inspiring this morning. We have been lucky the past few days. We have only had a sprinkle or two of rain. Yesterday looked like it was going to rain the whole day, but we never saw a drop. I am super excited to see what today brings. I have a feeling it is going to be a spectacular day on the mountain. Time to soak up some rays and discover again how magnificent this mountain is.
It is hard to feel blue when you have a sea of sunshine to look at. Thank goodness for the coneflowers. They are like little pieces of sun all over camp. Yesterday did turn out to be not so bad. The sun would make an appearance every now and again. The high was only 62º with the low of 52º. We did get a few sprinkles here and there. Our total rainfall for the day was .07". Not too bad. We are currently socked in again this morning.
I apologize for being a bit slow today. The mountain is socked in and my internet reception is not very strong. The clouds are hanging low and threatening rain. It is looking like it is going to be a wet day up top. We have enjoyed our two days of sun. The high yesterday was a pleasant 69º with a low of 45º. It has been cool at night. I am afraid our sunny days have come to end for a little while. My vitamin D is caught up for a few days so I should be good. I did want to remind people to be very careful while hiking on the slick rocks. Remember, take it slow and watch your footing. If possible, walk around the slick rocks or get some one to watch out for you. There is a slick layer of moss growing over everything from all of this moisture. Remember to take it slow and steady. See you on the mountain.
I love the moment when you realize the clouds have lifted and the sun is out for a second day in a row. I awoke to a blanket of clouds this morning. As I was walking through the dining room, a.k.a. my commute to work, I saw that magnificent glow coming through the window. After looking at the forecast we are mentally prepared for rain for the next week. Yesterday was amazing. The crew scattered all over the mountain trying to find that perfect sunny spot. I found mine and soaked up some vitamin D. The day hikers were out in full force. Everyone was trying to capture that perfect day.
Thanks to everyone who commented on Dolly. I think the comment about her having low self esteem was spot on. That is pretty much the conclusion we came too. As for the crew being old enough to know The Waltons, there are a few of us who used to watch it on prime time television. In the 70s, the LeConte crew would make a night of it. They would put the little tv on The Waltons and make popcorn and sit and watch it. Oh yeah, one last note of importance. Congratulations to Chris for scoring the highest Yahtzee score this season. The crew was in awe of his score of 530. 
Well, so far we are out of the clouds. Chris and I watched the sunrise and prayed the clouds disperse instead of rise. The crew is banking on that "partly sunny" day the forecast was calling for. It has been pretty chilly at night. The low last night was 45º with a high yesterday of 62º. We received another .6" of rain.
This question is for you guests who have stayed the night and walked through the dining room during the crew's dinner. Do you ever wonder what we are discussing? Well, I thought I would share our discussion from last night and maybe you can help us solve the mystery. The world changing question was, "What was wrong with Dolly, from the Island of Misfit Toys?" She seemed normal. We could not determine how she was a misfit. I will let the discussion begin. I will add that I was happy to know our younger crew members did know about the Island of Misfit Toys. I found out earlier that most of them had not see The Waltons. One of them even said, "Oh, that is where the phrase "Goodnight Johnboy" came from." Now you know, during crew dinner, we delve into some really deep issues. 
We awoke to rain this morning and now the sun is teasing us. It will shine through the trees for a brief moment and then the clouds win over. There are thunderstorm warnings for today, so who knows what kind of weather we will get. We actually ended up with a nice day yesterday. There were a lot of day hikers taking advantage of the semi-dry day. I wish I was proficient in my Photoshop skills. I would add a canoe onto one of the trail pictures. After trying to run yesterday, it felt like I either needed to be in wet suit our a boat. The trails are a little soggy. We are still suggesting people steer clear of Rainbow Falls trail. We are due for rain for the next couple of weeks. We just don't know when the rain is coming and how much. It could cause for a problem with stream crossings. Any other trail is going to be fine. Have a safe hike and see you on the mountain.
The sun is trying to peek out from behind the clouds this morning. We had a soggy evening yesterday. Our high was 64º with a low of 54º and a little under 1/2" of rain. You know it has been a wet year when the crew got excited to see a forecast of partly sunny for the next week. I think we are due a few beautiful days to recharge our souls. Other than the wet season, we are plugging along. The end of season countdown has started. The crew is starting to discuss their winter plans. It is always exciting to have a trip to look forward to. Chris and I are joining Beau and Courtney for a trip to Hawaii. We are planning on two weeks of tent camping and hiking. It will be during their rainy season, so I joke that this season is getting us prepared. For some reason, they don't think that is funny. Chris is extremely excited about this trip. This will knock off his last state to visit. After this trip, he can boast he has been to all 50 states. I, personally, will be looking forward to a hammock on a beach.
The rain stopped just in time for the crew to celebrate the half way point of the season. We call it mid-season. We usually celebrate with a progressive dinner. It is always fun to see what culinary delights the crew can come up with. The above picture is Matt grilling his famous "Oopsies". They consist of maraschino cherries and bacon on a skewer and then grilled. I know, I know, it sounds a bit odd. I will say, they were delicious. We were all pleasantly surprised. The crew did an amazing job and fun was had by one and all.
Yesterday was a bit of a mess weather wise. The high was 64º with a low of 58º. We received 1.38" of rain yesterday. Trail Warning With all of the rain we have been having and the rain that is in the forecast, I am going to suggest that hikers do not use Rainbow Falls trail. Apparently, one of the stream crossings above the falls has shifted and it diverts the water in way that makes it impassable when we get heavy rainfall. Until something can be done, we are suggesting people to stay off of Rainbow Falls trail. |
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
February 2023
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