Good Morning,
We’re riding the wind into this Sunday, already a week into November. Last night’s sunset was stunning and the night sky is crystal clear full of infinite shimmering stars. Today is setting up to be another sunny and beautiful day across the Smokies. Each day as we roll into the new week is expected to see warmer temps. We should reach the 40s this afternoon and our overnight lows will keep hanging around the freezing mark. By Monday and Tuesday, we could jump into the 50s which might feel downright summer-like compared to the conditions of recent weeks. The winds are going to be a constant presence though, so the wind chills are going to keep some of that potential warmth at bay. Gusts of 25mph are going to hound the mountain today and tonight. Starting today there will be more sunlight in the morning, great for those visitors who prefer early starts up the trail. The flip side to that coin means it’s going to be darker much sooner, a fact that tends to catch day hikers by surprise this time of year. Sunset now will be shortly after 5:30. So if an average hiker requires 3-4 hours to get down Alum Cave, that means folks need to be departing the lodge between 1:00-2:00 to ensure adequate daylight for a safe descent. It gets dark in the deep hollers and trees well before the sun actually meets the horizon. Plus it doesn’t take long for temperatures to plummet. So getting caught out late sans appropriate layers and illumination is unwise. With just 2.5 weeks to go in the season, it’s important that our remaining visitors all come prepared to have a safe and enjoyable time on the mountain. And another remainder that with the daylight savings shift, guest supper will now move to 6:15 PM for the time being. Have a great end to the week.
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Good Morning,
Welcome to what should be a beautiful autumn weekend in the Smokies. We’ll be basking in sunshine again today, but the top is still going to be quite cool, especially with the howling winds. We’re currently holding steady around 30°, and when you factor in the 20mph winds, the chill factor has it feeling much cooler. High temps are expected to get back into the 40s today, but visitors will definitely need to layer up. Watch for slick places on trail where water runoff has refrozen. Hopefully in the next day or two the trails clear up and dry out to help ensure safe passage for all. Tonight is the time change courtesy of daylight savings, so be sure and set those clocks accordingly. Beginning tomorrow, we will be serving guests supper AFTER sunset for these remaining 18 days of the season. That means guests staying overnight starting Sunday will be served at 6:15 PM Eastern. That gives everyone adequate time to enjoy sunset and make it back down to the lodge safely before cozying up with a warm meal. We will also be adjusting our gift shop hours to 12:00-5:00 PM, and beverages for overnight guests will be available from 1:30-5:00 PM. Guests will have no problem now catching sunrise in the morning before enjoying breakfast at 8:00 AM. In case you missed it, this week’s snowfall caught the attention of many from around the country. The first flakes of autumn always help to get folks excited for the coming winter and holiday season, so it was no surprise to see so many folks check us out. We were especially excited to learn that the Today Show mentioned the lodge on its famous nationally televised show Thursday morning. Those interested can check out the brief spot at https://www.today.com/video/tens-of-millions-face-freezing-temperatures-125461573578?playlist=mmlsnnd_todayarchivesfriday to see our favorite lodge. Stay warm out there and have a great weekend. Good Morning,
Waking up to a brisk Friday on the mountain. The Freeze Warning in effect this morning saw the lodge get all the way down to 18°, and we aren’t much warmer than that as the biscuits go into the oven. Skies are stunningly clear though with the stars about to give way to a rising sun. We should have no problem getting several degrees above freezing today, but our upcoming overnight lows will still be at or slightly below freezing. We maxed out at 1” of snowfall yesterday despite occasional flakes or rainy mists throughout the day. What little patchy snow remains is on the trees, as everything on the ground was quick to melt away. The sunny skies will take care of the rest this morning, then we’ll be back to an autumn landscape. The ground is crunchier this morning with the hard freeze, which means there will be plenty of slick places on trail today, especially in the shaded areas. So tread carefully until the paths can dry out over the coming days. Have a great day. Good Morning,
It happened! Our first legitimate accumulation of snow on Mt. LeConte this autumn season. No disrespect to the first flurries that flew last week, but this is the stuff everyone secretly hopes for. The precip began transitioning from mist to flakes after 8:00 PM last night, but didn’t really start to stick until very early this morning. We seem to have maxed out at 1” of snow depth at the moment, with temps holding firm around 30°. The ground is still retaining its warmth, and because of the considerably mild air temperatures, we’re slogging around in a wet and heavy snow instead of a hard icy pack. It’d still be wise to have those traction devices handy, as it doesn’t appear we’ll shake this cloud cover during the daylight hours. The snow line appears to be around 5,000 feet, so folks en route won’t encounter sloppier conditions until closer to the top. There is a Freeze Warning slated for this evening into tomorrow morning, but after that, conditions should improve for a sunny and beautiful November weekend. With warming temps and sunshine coming, what little snow we have now won’t last very long. All roads are currently open. Have a great rest of the day. Good Morning,
We’re waking up to a frosty Wednesday this morning. As anticipated, some decently cold temps are affecting all elevations easily bringing us here at the lodge down into the 20s. A light glaze of icy white is coating numerous surfaces, which won’t last too long once the sun gains some height. The shaded areas could hold on to their slick surfaces though, especially now that we’re getting colder temps both day and night. And a constant wind chill, with gusts upwards of 20mph today, will only enhance the wintry feel. Today will start out with a mix of sun and clouds, but by tonight the skies will bring us what should be varying forms of precipitation. That’s right, both liquid and crystalline, although only a dusting is being forecast at this point. Either way, it would bring our first powder coating since the spring and is likely to garner significant attention. Thursday will see a continuation of the sloppy weather, but by Friday the forecast improves for a stellar weekend. Temps shouldn’t escape the 30s today, so layer up if making a visit to the top. The finish line is coming quick with just three weeks to go! Have a great day. Good Morning,
What a way to kickoff November! Yesterday was one of the finest days East Tennessee has enjoyed this entire autumn season. Clear skies, grand views, mild temps, and beautiful color all make for a memorable time in the mountains. The pendulum is about to swing hard the opposite direction though. We have some light rain showers with overcast skies pestering the region this morning- a bit unannounced - but conditions should improve by this afternoon bringing more sunshine. It will be much cooler up top today and tonight, with high temps lucky to escape the lower 40s. A Freeze Warning has been issued for the lowlands, so count on frigid temps along the upper elevations late this evening and into tomorrow. Winds will also be a factor today, gusting as much as 25mph. Beginning tomorrow we are going to see intermittent opportunities for either rain or snow showers. And when the atmosphere is that turbulent, odds are we’ll catch some freezing rain and sleet mixed in. Continue to prepare for messy conditions in the coming days and have backup plans ready for your chosen trail of ascent, especially if the NPS is forced to temporary close any of its roads in a hurry. With the end of the season drawing near, it’s that much more important everyone takes extra precautions to have a safe and enjoyable hike. Have a great day. Good Morning,
It’s hard to believe that the eleventh month on the calendar, and final month of the lodge season, is actually here. Somehow it feels like we were just flying up our supplies yesterday, or even celebrating the 4th of July with warm and sunny skies. Now, the days are shorter and colder, Halloween has come and gone, with the winter holiday season bearing down fast. We’ve got a little more than three weeks to go before we board up the doors. Until then, though, there’s still plenty of pancakes to sling and “I Hiked It” shirts to be sold. We’ve got what should be two marvelous days ahead of us to start the new week. The Smokies are setup to have some marvelous sunshine for a change. Winds will be light and temps today will be mild for the season, as we might reach 50° for a high today. Monday will be the warmest of the week though, as everything looks to trend downward as the week progresses. By Wednesday afternoon, conditions over the Smokies are expected to sour, bringing a stretch of cold and wet days leading up to the weekend. Depending on how low the temperatures decide to go, the peaks could endure some freezing rain or snow. We’ll know more as we get closer, but for now folks should plan on soggy conditions later on this week. That could also mean temporary closures of some park roads at times, so have a backup plan ready in case your preferred trail becomes inaccessible. Beginning today we will bump up guest supper time to 5:15 PM Eastern. The time change happens a bit later this year, so we’re continually having to move up the evening meal service to make sure guests have the opportunity to catch sunset. That means we will be closing our gift shop at 4:15, and beverage service for overnight guests will be move up to 1:15-4:15. This time of year, it’s vital that day hikers understand when it gets dark in these mountains, leaving the summit with plenty of daylight left. For some hiking abilities, that could mean departing the lodge no later than 2:00. With less daylight and decreasing temps, the risks increase for exploring the outdoors, so please be smart out there. 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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