Good Morning,
Our brief stint with winter continues for another day. There are still several stubborn patches of hoar frost clinging to tree limbs and shaded grasses atop the mountain. The sun yesterday managed to cook off the white stuff on most southern facing slopes, but it remained too chilly to instigate any change on the northern side. Warmer temps this afternoon will likely polish off the rest and bring us back to a more autumn-like scenery, despite most leaves on the mountain being long gone. Areas of ice on trail are gone linger though, and shift from place to place as the low-angled sun and shade jockey for position. With tons of foot traffic yesterday and another round of the freeze-thaw cycle, there are going to be plenty of slick spots along the upper half of the trails. We’re starting out in the low 20s this morning but could reach the mid 40s later today. We’ll dip back down around freezing again tonight, so we aren’t out of the cold conditions just yet. This weekend continues to look promising for sunshine and warmer temps, and we’re expecting another busy national once again. We’re toting up a last minute batch of this year’s incredibly popular “I Hiked It” shirt, but sizes are limited and the weekend crowds this month have been buying up lodge swag in droves. With so many supply chain challenges these days and the season drawing near its close, once certain date specific items are out of stock, they’re out! Have a great day.
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Good Morning,
We’re down to just five weeks remaining in the season, and it’s another day of waking up to arctic air atop Mt. LeConte. The skies cleared and the stars came out during the night, but there’s been no change in the thermometer’s stubbornness with sitting tight in the teens. Gusts have been a bit stronger in recent hours driving the wind chill down around 0°. Once the sun rises over High Top, we should be able to bid farewell to the chilliest part of the cold snap. Over the next 36 hours, temps are going to make a slow and steady climb back into a more seasonably appropriate range. We might scrape the freezing mark later today and eventually top out around 40° Thursday afternoon. We can count on a few more nights in the 20s this week, and gusty winds will continue to have on affect on keeping things cool up top. More patchy ice has surely formed on trail overnight, so tread carefully as you ascend the mountain today and tomorrow. Hopefully by this weekend we won’t have to worry about such frigid conditions and hikers can focus more on soaking up some sun and admiring what changing leaves remain in the lower elevations. Have a great day. Good Afternoon,
You’d think we just jumped straight into winter, as we’re feeling every bit of that Freeze Warning up here. Patches of hoar frost have covered trees and shrubs above 6,000 feet, and numerous hikers have confirmed seeing the first small snow flurries of the autumn season above 5,000 feet in recent hours. They’re sparse for the time being and way to small to be sticking, but there’s no denying their presence in this mid October day. The lodge thermometer bottomed out at 13° this morning, and continues to hang around the upper teens this afternoon. Thankfully the winds are light and variable, only driving that wind chill factor down into the single digits. Another bone chilling couple of days are ahead of us, as we might not climb above freezing until late Thursday. The clouds are holding tight to the summit, their gray veil only amplifying the cold environs. Skies should begin to clear by tonight, and a little sun tomorrow would go a long way in taking the edge off that chill. Winds could gust up to 30mph at times. There are slick surfaces appearing on trail, specifically on smooth rocks from repetitive wet foot steps and places where thin water has pooled. It’s not widespread, but can easily catch someone off guard and dump them on their backside. Trekking poles and traction devices will come in handy the longer we stay below freezing. Warm hats, gloves, jackets, and pants are all a must for hiking in these conditions safely and comfortably. And anyone looking for changing leaf colors will only find them below 4,000 feet now, as the winds and temps have all but stripped the trees bare from the Alum Cave trailhead on up. Stay warm and have a great rest of the day. Good Morning,
We’ve already put three October weekends behind us and now Mother Nature is primed to hit us with our first winter blast, at least according to the thermometer anyways. What little lingering rain there is in the vicinity this morning is gradually making it’s way out of town, and skies are expected to clear with each passing hour. And as the clouds disappear today the temps will drop to what will be downright bone chilling late this evening and into tomorrow. We’ve had several teasers of light frosts in recent weeks, but this is going to be our first hard freeze of autumn. We’ll begin the day in the 40s but the mercury will eventually slide down to the mid teens tonight. The cold temps will become amplified by the gusty winds, slicing through as fast as 30mph at times, which will make it feel like single digits tonight and tomorrow. The Freeze Warning extends to the lower elevations, so any wet places on trail and around the lodge are sure to become icy and slick. Extra layers and accessories for keeping your body and extremities warm are going to be a must for overnight guests and day hikers in the coming days. And you’ll be wise to include some traction devices just in case the trails become uncomfortably slick. Even though we’ll receive an adequate dose of sunshine this week, don’t bank on it for providing much info the way of warmth at our elevation. This is also a good time to remind folks about staying tuned in to the NPS road conditions, as slippery surfaces can prompt the temporary closure of park roads on a whim. Always a good idea to have a backup plan in place for accessing Mt. LeConte if your primary route of choice becomes unreachable for reasons of visitor vehicular safety. Stay warm out there and have a gray day. Good Morning,
It’s the third weekend of October and a beautiful Saturday is in store for the Smokies. Expect sunny skies overhead and a cascade of color blanketing the landscape below today. Temps could reach 60° this afternoon, but it’s going to be windy the higher up one gets. Gusts will be whipping up to 35mph at times, so hold on to your hats and have the layers handy while soaking up those grand views. Come ready for busy roads, parking lots, and trails throughout the park today as enthusiastic leaf peepers flock to the mountains. Have a great day. Good Afternoon,
It’s going to be another glorious autumn weekend in the Smokies. The sun is shining bright over endless mountains and should be hanging around with us the next couple days. Temps are going to read as warm on the thermometer, possibly tapping the 60s tomorrow afternoon, but the persistent presence of blustery winds will certainly take any warm advantage away. Gusts of 30mph are going to hound the higher peaks all weekend, so remember the wind breakers and extra warm layers. Overnight lows will be in the 40s for a few more days. The park highways and byways are once again bustling with leaf lookers. With so much captivating color happening across multiple elevations, and such sunny skies, the crowds are getting pulled into the park and Mt. LeConte en masse. Early start times and patience will go a long way for one’s outdoor enjoyment this weekend. Have a great rest of the day. Good Morning,
We’ve seen plenty of cloud cover in recent hours but not much in the way of rain. Hopefully what’s forecast on the backside of the weekend produces some much needed precip for us. In the meantime, skies will begin to clear back up this afternoon and possibly afford guests a delightful sunset. The winds have been howling and are expected to remain active the next several days. We could endure gusts of 25mph now and straight on through the weekend. Temps have been fairly warm of late in the 50s, even at night, but the mercury should start to dip this evening into more seasonably appropriate figures in the 30s. The steady winds will surely add a chill factor that could make it feel like the 20s at times, so layer up for those moments you aren’t actively moving today and tonight. The winds will gradually yank some transforming leaves off trees over the coming days, but there is still a grand display to be seen in the Smokies’ mid to upper elevations. Friday and Saturday are shaping up to be sunny and beautiful, so bank on the park roadways and footpaths being thoroughly congested with travelers again this weekend. Have a great day. Good Morning,
It’s a warm and windy morning atop the cloud-capped mountain as we roll into Wednesday. Socked-in skies are the name of the game today with light rain showers in the vicinity. Later tonight and into Thursday the percentages increase before clearing out for more sunshine tomorrow afternoon. Temps have been warm through the night, hovering in the mid 40s. Despite the gray veil over the mountain we could still reach a high in the upper 50s today. The strong winds will continue to be a factor over the coming days, gusting around 30mph and adding a chill to the air. Remember those layers for both staying warm and dry these next couple days. We’re down to six weeks remaining in the season and losing daylight hours fast. The sun sets around 7:00 PM now, and it’s important for day hikers to depart from the lodge with plenty of time to get down before dark. Even before the sun dips below the horizon, it gets dark much sooner in the hollers of these mountains and beneath the cover of dense trees. Always smart to bring a flashlight as part of one’s hiking essentials. Have a great day. Good Morning,
It’s a chilly mountaintop to start this Tuesday. We’re in the 30s with some more light frost on the ground. Skies are sunny and clear overhead and to the north. The summit and trails were covered up in people all holiday weekend, and it’s likely that will be the case again today with such splendid fall weather on tap. Temps should reach the mid 50s today with little air movement helping to keep conditions comfortable even this high up. It’s been a concerning dry past month, and thankfully some much needed rain is appearing in the forecast tomorrow afternoon and into Thursday. The winds are expected to ramp up tomorrow as well, gusting as much as 30mph at times. So come ready for cool and wet these next couple days of staying overnight with us. The autumn leaf change is in full swing across the Smokies. Because of the sustained dry weather here in East Tennessee, it appears to have thrown the timing off a bit for when certain elevations start to change color. Although the bulk of the best display is happening between 4,000-5,500 feet currently, there seem to be trees transforming at just about all elevations. As it relates to our neck of the woods, the lower portion of Alum Cave is in its autumn glory. The “golden zone” from the trailhead to Arch Rock is really glowing with the added sunshine, and the most diverse colors are blazing between Inspiration Point and the bluffs. From our vantage point, looking down on the slopes of Rocky Spur, Brushy Mountain, and toward Greenbrier are quite captivating. Get out there and enjoy it if you can! Have a great day. Good Morning,
It’s a clear, cool, and breezy mountain top to start this Sunday with thin clouds rocketing over from NC to the south. Temps dipped a hair below freezing during the night and even saw a few patches of frost develop on tree and grass tips. Watch for slick surfaces this morning if out and about. Sunshine should dominate overhead once again today and for the holiday tomorrow. We might be lucky to scrape 50° this afternoon, so bring the layers for any lounging around the summit, especially in the shade. As expected, the mountain was crawling with happy hikers and outdoor enthusiasts yesterday. Foot and vehicular traffic is likely to be busy and congested again today with travelers looking to take advantage of the gorgeous weather and changing leaves. It’s a wondrous time to be enjoying the mountains! Reminder that begin today overnight guests will be served supper at 5:30 PM. This will be the case until the daylight savings time change in early November. 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 2024
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