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Good Morning,
Skies are once again open and hazy this morning as we all wake up to welcome the holiday weekend. It’s already warm up top as the scattered showers yesterday did little to dissuade our overnight temps from dropping very much. We expect to see the mercury slide from the mid 50s this morning to the upper 60s this afternoon. Visitors are encouraged to hit the trails early today to avoid having to deal with any of the wet conditions that should flare up after lunch time. The rain percentages increase tonight and for much of Sunday at our elevation as well. Best to enjoy the outdoors while things are dry then head down before skies turn sour if you are a day hiker. And given that it’s the first big Saturday of college football, one would expect a lot of folks eager to get back down to be in earshot of a TV or radio to cheer on their favorite team. It’s the last day of August, which means noting a few important things: *The sun is offering us 13 hours of daylight currently, which will continue to decrease rapidly between now and the end of the season. Meal times will remain the same until late September when we’ll move up guest supper so folks have ample time to enjoy a warm meal and still catch sunset at Cliff Tops. Breakfast service remains unchanged throughout. *In September, we can still witness some hot days across East TN, but this is when the humidity finally begins to ease off and even the views of the distant horizons regain some clarity. Nights up top get a tad cooler on average, so throwing that extra layer back into the gear stash is wise. *We’re officially halfway through hurricane season, which thankfully it’s been a quiet one here thus far. But these next two months have produced some dandies in recent years, so best not take our eyes off what’s happening in the tropics. Every so often, a cyclone builds enough strength and stamina that it reaches good ole southern Appalachia, bringing significant rain and wind that at times has caused temporary closures within the Smokies. Fingers crossed nothing of the sort happens. *Before the first big wave of leaves transform from their uniform greens to vivid variations along the color spectrum, berries will continue to ripen and tree nuts take shape and harden. That means plenty of foraging and activity for the native wildlife. Remember to keep safe distances, respect the space of animals both large and small, and report any suspicious behavior to local authorities. Have a great day.
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 Good Afternoon,
It might be a quiet day on the mountain, but the skies above are starting to spur some excitement. What started as calm and sunny morning has gradually transitioned into an afternoon full of clouds and scattered thunderstorms. Hopefully between the rain, winds, and eventual cooler temps, the air quality will improve across the region and some of these areas desperate for water from above will receive it. Heat wise, this could be the last truly toasty day of the summer where the summit nears 70° and the lower elevations get crispy fried near 100°. Combining with the precip chances throughout the holiday weekend are some cooler temps. Come ready for wet trails and pop up rain showers of a visit to the top is in your plans. Traffic will surely be hopping in and around the park these next few days with families and friends flocking to the famous forests of the Smokies. Consider early starts to beat the rush and snag those valuable parking spots at Mt. LeConte’s trailheads. Reminder that our reservations office will be closed on Monday in observance of Labor Day. Normal operating hours will resume on Tuesday. Have a great day.  Good Afternoon,
Hot, humid, and hazy is what’s happening on the hills and in the hollers once again today. The Air Quality Alert remains in effect through early Friday morning, at least for now. The small fire along the park’s west side has grown slightly, but kudos to all the personnel actively working to keep it under control. We’ve exceeded the 70° make for the third straight day and the lowlands are no stranger to triple digit readings on the thermometer. Perhaps after today the sweltering heat will break once and for all, aided by some much needed precip. In fact, there is a slight chance for some rain late this afternoon, and judging by the building clouds over the crest, we might just luck into hearing some pitter patter on roof tops. Until then, best to keep chopping away at chores best done when the skies are sunny and warm. Storm chances increase starting tomorrow and will last through the holiday weekend. Expect a surge of traffic to the region Friday, clogging up park roads, campgrounds, and nearby downtowns as everyone bids farewell to the “tourist summer” and turns their focus toward the coming autumn season. Soon nature’s bright colors will magically bounce from flowers to leaves. Have a great rest of the day. Good Morning,
Another successful handoff from stars and moon to an inspiring rising sun this Wednesday. Skies are clear-ish, given the open skies above and on all horizons, but the haze is getting thicker by the day. Certainly worth noting, as a Code Orange Air Quality Alert is in effect for our region. And not only amplified by the heat, humidity, and recent stretch of dry conditions, but a small fire in the national park’s west end is adding smoke into the mix. With winds coming from the west today, faint smells are already present in the air around Mt. LeConte. Taking all these factors into account, anyone with respiratory concerns should use caution if being active in the outdoors today. It’s already a warm start to the day, as residents open cabin doors and windows to temps in the 50s. After hitting 70° yesterday, one fully expects we’ll break that mark this afternoon. Tomorrow will be toasty as well, and then finally we start seeing a rainy injection into the extended forecast. We’ll see how it shakes out over the holiday weekend, but obviously some precip here and there would be a good thing for the area. Have a great day.  Good Morning,
Consecutive days and nights of clear skies have made for some great hiking and stellar stargazing lately. Avoiding the heat and disconnecting from the daily hustle and bustle makes Mt. LeConte the prime spot to get away from it all while reconnecting with nature. A point driven home after stepping outside at night to admire the millions of heavenward twinkling lights, made more captivating by a bright crescent moon and mystifying Milky Way. “I Hiked It” shirts and no-bake cookies are great and all, yet 100 seasons ago it was inspiring moments like above that were at the heart of the lodge experience and integral to the formation of the national park, remaining just as important - if not more so - today. A few more sunny days are ahead of us this week, bringing warmer temps with each completed rotation of the earth. We nearly tagged 70° yesterday, and are expected to today and tomorrow easily. The overnight lows continue to climb as well, feeling quite comfortable in the 50s. The wildlife and vegetation sure are soaking it up, noticeable by all the activity and vivid colors. The berries of the surrounding mountain ash trees are rapidly ripening as well, adding their famous splash of red to the landscape and alerting everyone to the eventual arrival of autumn. Great beauty and wonder to be had atop this majestic mountain. Have a great day.  Good Morning, A sunny summer weekend means a steady stream of trail-seeking travelers for this majestic mountain. Whatever traffic obstacles were present yesterday certainly didn’t hold back the number of folks eager to scale the slopes and conquer the crest. One would expect a repeat experience today with such blue skies already greeting lodge guests and early risers. The mercury reads near 50° this morning, and with enough assistance from the sun, we should reach the upper 60s this afternoon. Any winds should be light, so conditions for sitting down to soak up the sights and sounds of nature from fabulous vistas like Myrtle Point or Cliff Tops are going be superb today. Around the lodge, all this sunlight and blooming vegetation has the bees and flies buzzing, enveloping the grounds in a constant low hum. It looks like we are in for at least one more hefty blast of summer. Now and until the coming holiday weekend, temps are set to gradually get hotter while skies remain clear and dry. By midweek the lodge could witness the mid 70s while the lowlands welcome back 100°. Our overnight lows could also work their way up back toward 60°. So everyone hoping to climb the mountain in the coming days needs to come prepared with adequate hydration, nutrition, and sun protection to beat the heat and humidity. Leading into next weekend, a front should arrive bringing back the rain chances and cooler temps, although it might mess with some folks outdoor plans. Take advantage of these next few days if you can, but please be smart about it. Having heat exhaustion issues in a remote location is less than ideal, we can assure you. Have a great day.   Good Morning, Some exceptional weather is in store for visitors to the Smokies this penultimate weekend of August. Whether your plan is to hit the trails for an outdoor ramble, or join in on the Jeep Invasion action set to cruise gateway communities and serpentine scenic parkways, the sunshine should certainly add to the enjoyment. Between the superb forecast, surge in motor vehicles, temporary road closures funneling visitors to select entrances, and the expected bear sightings, count on heavily congested roadways in and around the national park these next few days. Early starts will go a long way in avoiding some of those potential traffic-related headaches if sitting idly is not your cup of tea (or hot chocolate at our elevation). Please respect the park’s natural resources and fellow visitor safety should you come upon halted traffic admiring a family of bears or a bustling trailhead where permitted spaces can be difficult to come by during peak hours. Even as we wake up to a misting fog this morning more than a mile high above the East TN valley, sunny skies are expected today and the foreseeable future. Such superb skies will also be accompanied by a gradual warming trend as we climb out from this recent “false fall” cellar. From now until the middle of next week, we should witness lodge high/low temps ease upward from the low 60s/upper 40s to mid 70s/upper 50s. Any winds will be light and a nice relief to the returning heat and humidity, particularly among the mountain’s lower elevations. Trails should be good and dry now. Be sure and pack the helpful hydration, sufficient snacks, and sizzling sun protection for spending prolonged periods in the backcountry. Have a great day.   Good Morning, It’s been a while, but residents of the mountain top this morning are waking up to open skies and bright sunshine instead of a cloudy wall of gray for once. Surely signs pointing to a beautiful day full of light and warmth on the way! Some areas surrounding the mountain are still clinging to fog, which will surely dissipate in the coming hours as the sun gains some height. The region should start to experience warmer temps once again as winds shift from out of the south. Day time highs at the lodge will slide back into the 60s the rest of this week accompanied by overnight lows in the 50s. The occasional breeze might feel cool to some though, so bring that extra layer for the top, especially once your body has had a chance to acclimate. As we head deeper into the back half of the year, we gradually lose daylight hours and see average temps lower. It’s the responsibility of all hikers to pack the necessary gear, clothes, and nourishment for having a safe and enjoyable journey in its entirety. Should you have an accident on trail, your comfort and ability to overcome challenges depends greatly on how well prepared you are, as receiving prompt assistance, if at all, is never a guarantee in a remote location miles from roads or modern conveniences. News flash, but anything the Lodge gift shop sells won’t do you any good during your miles long ascent. If you are already absent essentials like warm layers, hydration, rain gear, flashlights, means of communication…that’s a quick way to set oneself up for a less than ideal experience in the wilderness should you come under duress. So, for yourself and the consideration of others, please come prepared as soon as you set foot on trail. Have a great day.   Good Afternoon, The seesaw has swung in favor of cloud cover more so than sunny skies today. The eerie gray veil gives one a sense of close quarters, only adding to the subtle chill filling the air. The lodge thermometer didn’t quite creep down as low as yesterday morning, but the mid 40s are still low enough to catch anyone unprepared garment-wise by surprise. This afternoon we’ve managed to ease into the mid 50s. One more cool night to go, and we expect to see warmer temps the rest of the week. A little more actual sunshine in line with what’s been advertised for our location wouldn’t hurt either. Despite the gloominess, birds and bees are making the most of it, dancing between every remaining flower they can before autumn and the first frosts arrive. Have a great rest of the day.   Good Morning, Folks are waking up to a vivid sunrise, captivating moonset, and mountain air with a bit of a bite! That’s right, cabin heaters were all turned a touch higher and blankets tucked a tad tighter last night. As predicted, a random thermometer plunge saw the lodge dip to a low of 40°. As the remaining fog burns off, the sun is doing its part to make things feel more mild for the coming afternoon. We are unlikely to exceed readings in the 50s though. The summit can bank one more iteration of this cold spell tomorrow before a renewed warming trend returns. Meanwhile, sunny skies abound this week, which will surely draw in the crowds. Tomorrow, the closure of the Gatlinburg Bypass goes into effect, so motorists coming from the Spur (via Pigeon Forge) will have to go through downtown in order to enter the park the next several days. This temporary closure will last until Sunday night. There is also a single lane closure of the Spur scheduled in order for NPS crews to do routine roadside maintenance like tree trimming. Throw in the extra Jeep Invasion traffic and the Smokies should be packed to the gills. So come prepared for handling the congestion as you make your way to and from the mountain. 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
April 2025
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