We are getting drenched up here. The faucet in the sky turns off and on quite a bit lately, dumping 1.59” of rain on us yesterday. Woke up this morning to quite the lightning storm, fantastic. The temps have been mild with 65/54 as the temps but the humidity really takes it out of you. Stay hydrated! We have a mama and 3 fawns who have taken over camp recently, leaving botanical carnage everywhere and posing for pictures. Please respect their boundaries and watch them from afar! The lovely First Baptist group came up yesterday and left us with a bounty of fresh fruits! It's not everyday somebody brings you pineapples and berries. Thank you, guys, we greatly appreciate the treats!
The forecast, from what we hear, will be off and on rain today and tomorrow, Sunday sounds pretty happy though, but bring an umbrella just in case. Please remember to hike out EVERYTHING you hike in. Unless it's a pineapple.
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Good Morning,
We hope everyone reading this was able to enjoy a joyous and safe Independence Day yesterday. The crew was persuaded to enjoy its traditional July 4th feast indoors this year, as storms rolled through the region about the time we were ready to chow down. That also meant an obstructed view of the fireworks reverberating up the mountainside from the cities of Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge. We could certainly hear the constant rumbling, but no colors to enjoy from the top this year. Guess we'll just have to get by with the nightly displays from Dollywood on clear evenings this summer. We finished up with 0.28" of rain yesterday, and it's already been on and off showers this morning. Our high temperature was 62 degrees followed by a low of 53. It's been in the mid 50's so far today, with a sense of mugginess in the air. Umbrellas and waterproof shells continue to be your best friend in the coming days. Wherever you are, enjoy the rest of your day! INDEPENDENCE DAYGood Morning and Happy 241st Birthday, America! It’s shaping up to be a soggy start to the national holiday. We were spoiled with a spectacular sunrise this morning, but it didn’t take long for the skies to cloud over and gray up. It’s already started to sprinkle. They’re calling for strong rain chances again today, but hopefully we’ll witness a repeat performance of yesterday where conditions cleared in time for sunset and clear views over the valley. There are firework displays to watch, and the crew would prefer to enjoy its traditional July 4th cookout on the back porch and not indoors. Either way, the food Matt’s preparing should taste delicious. We shall see. Yesterday’s high temperature managed to tag 66 degrees, and our low of 49 was from the morning prior. It was certainly warmer this morning, hovering in the mid 50’s. We also tallied 0.68” of rainfall. Keep packing that rain gear if you intend to summit over the coming days, you’ll thank yourself for staying as dry as possible. And even though there isn’t ice this time of year, wet surfaces can be plenty slick, namely the log water bars. Better to step over than on them. Now for a special treat, I would like to share a fantastic poem written by one gentleman who's been assisting us with our construction efforts. Ben thoroughly enjoys his time on the mountain, and is sure to take those precious moments to 'stop and smell the roses.' Much of the following composition was written during his latest ascent up Alum Cave. Thank you, Ben, for putting into words what many of us have felt, heard, and thought while visiting this magical place. Enjoy! "To LeConte" By Ben Spicer Below a canopy of trees
I walk in utter luxury Silver stones beneath my feet Through a path of emerald green Dew, like diamonds on each leaf Sparkle in the morning breeze Floral carpets span in waves Infusing wooded knolls and banks Painted in their jeweled shades Like rouge upon a lovely face Waters laugh at child like pace Over rocks and winding ways Mountain air of earth and pine Refresh me as I upward climb Wisps of cloud in smoky rise Dance upon the mountainside Epics scapes of grand design Fill my unbelieving mind Who forged this awe inspiring trail? What haven lies at utmost scale? Dwelling over peak and vale At summit I now join the tale Of kindred folk who too prevail To LeConte and summit hail! Good Afternoon, After what started out as a pleasant Monday morning on the mountain, has since been thwarted by intermittent rain showers. The rainfall that was more like a sneeze yesterday around supper time was barely measurable, coming in at 0.02". We've already received significantly more today, with having to unload and reload llamas in between squalls. Our high temperature Sunday managed to reach 66 degrees, and our overnight low fell to 51. Despite the clouds and rain, we're hovering around 60 degrees for the moment. We're seeing droves of people hiking up sopping wet, unprepared for the rain. I have little doubt anyone reading this blog would fall into that category, but I'll say it anyways. Please take advantage of the wealth of weather related information available before visiting the mountain. Simply packing a poncho or umbrella can make or break your experience. Before the rain showers took control, it seemed like camp was being overtaken with wildlife (the non-bear variety). The squirrels are as raucous as ever. The snails are climbing around everything. We're beginning to see greater variety among the ornithological species, with red Crossbill Finches darting around. The Dark-Eyed Juncos and Robins are ever present, and the cute couple of Golden-Crowned Kinglets are still entertaining to watch outside the back souvenir shop window. The deer have really made themselves comfortable with their lodge surroundings as well. We have several families taking advantage of the endless buffet of greenery. One doe has two tiny fawns, and another doe has been leading a single fawn. Shortly after observing the aforementioned deer, I surprised a doe accompanied by a velvety 4-point buck up by our water collection tanks. The mountain is alive with endless beauty! Thanks to Bonnie for some great captures along Alum Cave Trail yesterday, namely the Wood Sorrel, trail scene, and Boomer. Enjoy! Have a great July 4th!
Good Evening,
It's certainly been a more summer-like day on the mountain. In terms of weather AND visitor traffic. We still aren't seeing crazy high temperatures, but the humidity has things feeling a little stickier around here with little activity required to get there. We saw 0.2" of rain come down yesterday. Despite the chances forecast for today, we only witnessed a brief pitter-patter before supper time. Otherwise it's been mostly sunny skies with great views coming and going from around the mountain. Temperatures continue to ride between the 50's and 60's. We're to the point in the year where rain and afternoon thunderstorms can be predicted everyday, but making good on those chances is hit or miss. Hope for sunny and beautiful, but pack for rain anyways. The Coneflower and Monkshood flowers are starting take shape around the mountain. Over the next week or two the scenery will become something special to witness. Hopefully you are able to fit a trek up Mt. LeConte into your July agenda. Have a great close to the week, and happy hiking! Good Afternoon,
And just like that, BOOM, it's July. It certainly feels more like summer up here, as there has been a definite increase in humidity and overnight lows. Fortunately, the midday highs continue to be mild. We ended the month of June with a high temperature of 59, followed by a low of 50. We raked in 0.5" of rain to put us near the 47.5" mark for the year. I've mentioned it a few times this season, but 2016 only saw 52.5" of rainfall on Mt. LeConte, so the sooner we can clear that hurdle, the better. We've experienced light mists today, but much of the day has been scoping out the insides of the clouds. Every once in a while the sun will tease us, and brief windows down into the valley leave us in awe at the greens and blues blending and blurring below. Wishing safe travels to all who are visiting the region leading up to the holiday. We hope to see you up top! And a special thanks to Pat and Jeanie. Ya'll are loved and legit. Have a great weekend. |
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 2024
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