Good Morning,
The clouds started out thick as soup yesterday, but eventually broke away late in the afternoon. As expected for a Saturday in October, the mountain was covered up in outdoor enthusiasts soaking up sunshine and searching for colorful trees. Guests were treated to a pleasant evening for enjoying supper in the mountain air that later gave way to countless stars twinkling above. We’re counting on more sunshine from start to finish today, which could once again draw in the weekend crowds given that Monday is a holiday. The air will be calm up top until this evening when gusts could get up to 20mph. Temps will keep bouncing between the 40s and 50s. This time of year, such conditions can feel delightful in an unabated sun, but in the shade and especially once the sun drops behind the horizon, extra layers are smart to have handy. We’re losing daylight fast these days it seems, now at 11.5 hours. Beginning this Monday evening, we will be shifting our guest supper time again. To ensure folks have a chance to make the haul up to Cliff Tops after a warm and filling meal, supper will be served at 5:30 PM Eastern. Overnight guests can also sip on some hot beverages from 1:30-4:30 before the Dining Hall is closed for meal prep. Have a great autumn day!
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Good Morning,
It’s our fifth consecutive (and possibly last) day of rain as we roll into the second of five October weekends. Chances are high for wet conditions throughout the day once again, so don’t get fooled into thinking we’re done just yet despite intermittent breaks in the action. Winds across the peaks will be much calmer today, and the clouds should maintain their grip over the mountains. Aside from some fog expected tomorrow morning, conditions ought to improve as Saturday goes on and improving into the holiday. We’ve spent so much time in the upper 40s and 50s of late, but we might finally warm up a smidge to the 60s come this weekend depending on how much sun we get. As trail conditions dry out, it should make for some delightful autumn rambles though the woods. Clearer skies and changing leaves will surely lure in the crowds, so come ready for backups and congestion while visiting the park this weekend. One can probably count on the occasional animal traffic jam as bears, deer, elk, and turkeys forage near roadsides. Just remember to maintain a safe distance while viewing any wildlife. Have a great day. Good Morning,
Already a week into October. It’s been a warm start to the month, and when combined with all this rain, it could mute the first wave of changing leaves in these mountains. We’ve got at least two more solid days of rain ahead of us before conditions improve through the holiday weekend. Winds will be noticeable across the mountain again today, with gusts upwards of 35mph possible. Since that warm air continues to blow up from the south, that means we’ll hold onto to these stable temperatures in the 50s a little longer. By this weekend we should start to see more variance between highs and lows, mainly more seasonably appropriate temps. Whether you’re hiking up or down today, dress for keeping your person and belongings dry and warm. The deeper we get into autumn, the more challenging the outdoor elements can become. Have a great day. Good Morning,
We’ve reached the middle of the week and we’re in the middle of a week long soaker. Today could mark the wettest day yet from start to finish with numerous rain showers hounding the mountains. The winds overhead are also going to be at their strongest these next 48 hours, with gusts of 35mph anticipated today and up to 40 mph tomorrow. Amazingly, the temperatures both day and night seem to be content in the 50s. Not exactly balmy, but it sure isn’t freezing either. Remember to use caution on trail in these conditions, as autumn can present new hazards underfoot. Fallen wet leaves obscure roots or slick rocks that can cause trips and slips. Creeks with unbridged crossings will of course be running higher than average, and trails themselves could be quite mucky in places with having so much precip of late. Although our popular single room cabins for 2022 are mostly booked up, there are still plenty of multi-room lodges available on weekdays for parties ranging from 8-13 people. So pair up with some friends and family, then give our reservations team a call to see what’s still open for next season. And remember, any initial bookings that have not been paid by November 1st go back into the general pool, so there are still plenty of chances to secure a reservation down the line. As for this season, we’ve hit the 7 weeks to-go mark, with Halloween now signifying our halfway point to the end. Sure is approaching fast! Have a great day and stay dry. Good Morning,
Thunderstorms are active once again this morning as they will be bubbling up from the south all day. Conditions up top will be cloudy with intermittent showers with the strongest chances for turbulent skies happening this afternoon. Winds will ramp up by this evening and persist the next couple days, with gusts as high as 35mph possible. Temps are maintaining their presence in the lower 50s with this warmer air pushing up from the south. Continue to watch for flooding conditions as mountain streams see a days long stretch of steady saturation. Bookings for 2022 reservations continue again today from 8:00-5:00. When it comes to weekends and the month of June, the single room cabins have all been snatched up, with the other warmer months of the season filling up quickly. There are still opportunities for interested parties to snag weekday stays, especially when it comes to the bigger multi-room lodges. So get ahold of your friends and family and consider pairing up to book some of our larger spaces if your desired days aren’t 100% booked yet. Have a great day. Good Morning,
As anticipated, Sunday was a soaker of a day. The cloud cover kept skies dark and gray from start to finish, with occasional rain showers filling in the gaps. There have been several strong downpours through the evening and Monday is now shaping up to be a repeat performance. There could be breaks between the isolated storm cells, but otherwise count on experiencing wet conditions at some point during one’s hike today. Temps will still be hanging out in the 50s, and although the winds for today have been dialed back, they’re expected to ramp up for tomorrow and Wednesday. The strong rain percentages aren’t supposed to let up until the weekend. That might put a damper on what trees have already started to change by knocking them off. So the most colorful patterns could be underfoot this week instead of out and above. If anybody is enjoying this resurgence of wet weather, it’s the salamanders! They tend to come out in droves, so mind your step, cause a few of them are tiny. 2022 bookings resume today from 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM! Reminder, that we are NOT accepting walk-in requests at our reservations office. This includes folks attempting to make payment. There is plenty of time to process payment for one's reservations in the coming weeks, and our team is thoroughly occupied trying to process phone calls and written requests. Thank you. Have a great start to the week. Good Morning,
It’s going to be a wet finish to the weekend as scattered rain showers have been sweeping through all evening and are expected to hang around all day. Amounts aren’t forecast to be torrential, but areas that receive repeat storms have the potential for localized flooding. Temps should continue to hover in the lower 50s today with light winds. Monday looks to be a soaker of a day as well, but with higher winds anticipated, gusting upwards of 25mph at times. Use caution on trails and roadways, especially now that we’re getting into leaf season. Freshly fallen leaves can adhere to surfaces making them slick or hazardous, whether that’s obscuring rocks underfoot or on pavement causing tires to spin. Reminder that bookings for 2022 reservations resume tomorrow at 8:00 AM Eastern. Have a great day and stay dry. Good Morning,
The first of five October weekends has arrived. The mountain tops are shrouded in clouds this morning, and given the forecast we might have a hard time shaking them off today. It was an enjoyable streak of uninterrupted sunshine, but inevitably the rain had to find its way back. By mid afternoon today, about the time day hikers ought to begin their descent with adequate daylight, is when the liquid precip percentages increase. The chances this evening are light, but it could be enough to spoil a sunset. Tomorrow and beyond, the rain chances are much higher. Hard to say how that might affect the leaf change through the coming weeks. Temps are going to be mild today, mostly in the 50s with light winds. Cloud cover and mists will surely make it feel cooler up top if we don’t catch a glimpse of the sun today. So bring those rain shells for added protection from the changing elements. Have a great weekend. Good Morning,
October is here! We’re probably a week away from the first big wave of color to start popping across the mountains, but already there are splashed of reds, oranges, and yellows in the upper elevations. Enough to get one excited for the autumn season. We’re getting a mix of swirly-twirly clouds in our skies of late, but still plenty of sunshine to bask in. Looks like today will be our last solid day without having to worry about any precip. That prospect changes tomorrow afternoon, although it’s only a slight chance. That will not be the case beginning Sunday and extending well into next week, with much greater opportunities for showers and thunderstorms daily. So soak up the last of this spectacular sun while you can! Temps will once again range from the lower 50s to mid 60s with light winds overhead. Both lanes passing by the Alum Cave trailhead have been repaved, but as of last night the lane striping still needed to occur, so continue to use caution if driving through that area. And start expecting heavy traffic delays in general these next 5-6 weekends. We’re getting into the most popular times to visit the nation’s most popular park. Reservation bookings for 2022 begin today! Our reservations team will be hard at work answering phones and cycling through written requests over these next several business days to get folks lined up and excited for next season. 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
May 2024
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