What a stupendous day for hiking around the mountain. The sun was shining bright. The high yesterday was 56 with a low of 40. It was nice to see it warmed up a little for last night's low. The crew took advantage of the amazing weather to soak up some rays. We were beginning to wonder if we were going to see the sun again. The autumn views are starting to come into play. The days are crisp allowing for amazing visibility. It won't be long before there is some awesome color happening down in the valley.

It is September 19th and there is a thin layer of ice on the back porch. The current temperature is 30º outside. The high yesterday was 55º with another 2.45" of rain over the last twenty four hours. I guess the cold front has made its way to the mountain. We had an amazing sunrise this morning. The inversion was a special treat. I am sorry those of you in Sevier county are still socked it, but it sure is beautiful up here.

"Some people walk in the rain, others just get wet." - Roger Miller

If you hike up today, you can bet you will be hiking in the rain. We received 2.22 inches yesterday and it is raining cats and dogs at the moment. The high yesterday was 55 with a low of 51. Don't let the rain deter you.  We have the heater on and plenty of hot chocolate and coffee to warm you up.

With 100% rain in the  forecast for today, I highly recommend anyone hiking up to bring their rain gear. It is cool and wet up top so bring a change of clothes for the top. The high yesterday was 58 with a low of only 50. The mountain ash trees are already starting to show some of their color. I have heard tales of certain areas in the park where the trees are already donning their fall colors. I am predicting it is going to be an early fall this year. I think we will see peak colors around the 2nd or 3rd week in October. I guess we will have to wait to see if my prediction is correct.

My friends always say how amazed they are that Chris and I can work a job like this and always seem so happy. Well, the above picture is how. This month has been hard because we had to take our days off seperate from each other. We went from seeing each other all of the time to spending two days together in the past three weeks. My amazing husband, who is currently on his days off, decided to grab a bouquet of roses and ice cream and do a day run up to see me. That is the answer to how we make this job work. I did talk him into spending the night by telling him I would make him pancakes and coffee for breakfast. I think that is the real reason he came up. Now that I am finished sharing about my husband I will tell you that yesterdays high was 61 with a low of 43. We are starting the day off with a little bit of cloud coverage. All in all, it looks like it might be a good day for a hike.

Dramatic skies put the day to rest. The crew has been enjoying these September days. The high yesterday was 60 with a low of 44. The chill in the air has the crew  guessing about the first snow fall. We have a game we play where we try and guess the first snow day of the fall. The past couple of years have brougt flurries in the early part of October. It will be interesting to see if that trend continues. I know JP is keeping his finger crossed for an epic snow fall this winter.

Weather forecast for today is clear is sunny???? The crew were all grumbling as they awoke to a mountain swathed in clouds. The picture below is the view from this morning.

This is a prime example of why it is so hard to predict the weather for the mountain. It also explains why I tell people to prepared for anything. They don't call the soutern appalachians a temperate rainforest for nothin'.

The temperatures are still very comfortable during the day. The high yesterday was 60 with a low of 44. Hopefully the clouds will roll out of here and we will be graced with a little sunshine for the afternoon.

Another gorgeous sunrise to start off another great day on the mountain. I love visiting other places on my days off, but John Muir said it best when he wrote, "Going to the mountains is going home. " I could not agree more. I get a feeling of comfort and serenity when I head back to work. I don't know many people who can say that about their place of employment. I consider myself fortunate to have those feelings when I return to my favorite mountain.

Today is shaping up to be another beautiful day up top. The high yesterday was 59 with a low of 41. It is still quiet around camp. I am sure that will change this weekend when people are off work and need a "mountain fix". Come on up and see us, we will be here waiting on you.

The views from the mountain have been great. We are starting to see that crisp fall air that brings great visibility.
Today, however, is starting out on the cloudy side. I believe we might have some rain in the near future. The high yesterday was 60 with a low of 41. The top of the mountain has been fairly quiet lately. You can tell the kids are back in school.

I have been getting questions about what kind of weather to expect during this time of year. We are reaching that point where anything is possible. It is a little early to get snow, but in the mountains, we don't count out anything. I am telling people to come prepared. Bring plenty of layers so you can add clothing as needed. It is better to have layers to add if you get cold. With that being said, we could also get an indian summer. The best advice I can give is to come prepared for anything and you will be comfortable.

It feels great to be back on my favorite mountain. I tried to capture an amazing double rainbow from the beach, if you look hard enough maybe you will see it. I have been looking at it all morning trying to warm up. I awoke to a cold 38 degrees. It is a big difference from being in the 80's for the past week. The temperatures on the mountain have been in the high 50s during the day to the high 30s at night. Fall is on its way. I spent the first part of my time off on a four day backpacking trip on the AT in the park. It was amazing. I did see some patches of fall. I believe fall is going to hit us early in the Smokies.

If you are staying with us over the next few weeks, remember to bring layers of clothing. You will need some warm clothing at night. The days are beautiful. The skies are clearing off and the bright blue skies of September are upon us.