 Good Morning! WILDCAT here again for the third off-season as LeConte Lodge Winter Caretaker. It’s cold and clear up here on the mountain this morning! The current temperature is 7 degrees. Yesterday’s high temperature was 19 degrees and the low was 7 degrees. There was no precipitation yesterday, so the road to Newfound Gap is open. We hope that y’all had a great Thanksgiving! Yesterday was “Black Friday “ so a lot of folks were off work and decided to visit Mt LeConte. Those who made it the top and didn’t have traction devices wished that they did! The trails are slick in spots here around the lodge! Dress warm and enjoy the weekend outdoors! HAPPY TRAILS!! WILDCAT/Bert 
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 Good Morning, In some ways, it’s been a long time coming, and yet it also seems like time has flown by, but here we are on the final full day of the 2024 season. One last night of hosting guests, dishing up delicious viddles, and slinging out shirts until next spring. Come tomorrow, doors are locked, shades are drawn, pipes are drained, and winter’s calming hush takes hold of the summit. Visitors have one last chance to utilize warm and dry indoor spaces today or snag some snacks or stylish LeConte swag this morning (9:00-10:00) or this afternoon (12:00-4:30). After that…well everyone better be quite familiar with those Ten Essentials lists specifically for safe and enjoyable hiking. Yesterday the snow made a rather abrupt departure. It seemed to be holding firm, not conceding an inch of accumulation even in the face of rising temps and patchy sunshine. Then the next moment it was nearly all gone. Last night’s rain took care of the rest. So expect very wet trails from top to bottom today as all this recent precip and melt makes its way down the slopes. The peaks are socked in at sunrise, but conditions are supposed to clear by this evening and give us a pleasant Wednesday for shutting things down. Temps are still mild, and although we should experience a cool down as the hours go by, we ought to stay just above freezing tonight. Winds will continue to be active with gusts near 25mph, but that’s the tradeoff for getting warm air out of the south and one we’ll gladly take to ensure everything stays nice and thawed. Have a great day.   Good Morning, It turned out to be a beautiful final weekend of the season on the mountain. Deep blue skies and bright sunshine did their part to inspire outdoor exploration and invigorate the soul. It was also a fabulous day for the crew to enjoy their annual Mountain Thanksgiving feast and fellowship, always a great chance to reflect on a long season over some delicious food. Although there is still plenty of white covering the ground, we’ve been above freezing the past 24 hours which has contributed to some snowmelt and the “slushifying” of trails and walking paths. Mostly sunny skies are expected once again today with temps getting even warmer, ascending into the lower 50s. That should intensify the thawing here across the summit ahead of the rainfall forecast for this evening. That means trails will go from fairly wet to really wet now and through tomorrow. Winds are also going to ramp up again, gusting as much as 25mph tonight which will amplify any chilliness. The NPS reopened US 441 (Newfound Gap Rd) yesterday afternoon, so visitors to Mt. LeConte once again have access to all approach trails. Continue to watch for slick surfaces on the roadway and have those traction devices in tow for the hike. Reminder that we close for the winter months in just a couple days. Tuesday afternoon will be the last opportunity for day hikers to partake of any services at the lodge until next spring. So if including the purchase of snacks or the greatest selling “I Hiked It” shirt of all-time-anywhere-in-the-history-of-ever is on your wish list, best to make the trek up today or well before 4:30 PM Tuesday. The gift shop will NOT be open on Wednesday morning due to the serving of breakfast to our last guests of the season and having to complete our necessary shutdown procedures in a timely manner and in a newly consolidated space. Have a great day.   Good Morning, Well the main road never opened Saturday, but that didn’t stop eager hikers from logging the extra miles to come up from the mountain’s north side. And those that did were treated to some magical sights. The summit was above a cloud sea just about all day, the lodge basking in blue sky and bountiful sunlight. Down lower, any slope facing south quickly saw the snow melted, but up here the cool temps and thicker accumulation still have us in a solid state of white. We’ve been hovering just under the freezing mark for much of the evening, but warmer conditions are expected in the coming days. Temps in the upper 40s this afternoon should contribute to significant thawing at our elevation. That will mean slushy footing around the lodge and on trail, so don’t skimp on the waterproof footwear and trusty tread. Monday is shaping up to be even warmer with continued sunshine. Although US 441 (Newfound Gap Rd) is still temporarily closed, one would think that rising temps and unabated sunshine will assist the NPS in getting it back open early Sunday. Meanwhile, Cherokee Orchard Rd and Roaring Fork remain open and accessible, with trails like Rainbow Falls, Bull Head, and Trillium Gap in great shape for safe passage. Still tote the traction devices should you decide to come up that way instead of waiting it out in hopes of ascending Alum Cave. Have a great day.   Good Afternoon, Winter turned up on the mountain as advertised. Between the clouds and snow getting whipped about by the wind, we have ourselves some whiteout conditions atop Mt. LeConte. The swirling gusts have been playing with the freshly fallen powder for hours, but we can confidently say that a few inches of snow have accumulated around the lodge depending on where one stands. The air has a decent bite to it as well, with windchills easily dipping down around 0° at times. Although there is a break in the action and cloud cover across the peaks is attempting to clear, we aren’t done with this storm just yet. The Winter Weather Advisory was extended until 7:00 AM Saturday, and there are still opportunities for more snow to appear overnight. Temps aren’t expected to warm any either, at least not until tomorrow afternoon. That will likely convince the NPS to keep US 441 (Newfound Gap Rd) temporarily closed until tomorrow to ensure road conditions become safe for driving. Thankfully, Cherokee Orchard Rd and Roaring Fork remain open and accessible, so appropriately dressed and equipped visitors still have paths to the lodge. Even our stellar llamas and wrangler found that Trillium Gap was spared of any downed trees or hazardous hiking, keeping the supplies flowing whether sun or snow. Perhaps in another 24 hours we’ll be basking in sunshine, welcoming above-freezing temps, and watching the for forest transform from white back to green. Have a great day.   Good Morning, Oh, what a beautiful clear and sunny morning to start this Thursday. If only it was going to last. The cold and wind are already here, but the gloomy skies and white powder are on the way. Clouds will gradually move in and thicken today with icy precip set to resume after dark. A Winter Weather Advisory is set to begin at 4:00 PM this afternoon and last until 10:00 AM Friday morning. Our elevation could see as much as 5” of snow when all is said and done, while the lowlands are expecting at least a dusting. Temps in the 20s will remain frigid while winds continue to gust between 30-40mph, especially up top where wind chills will easily creep down into the single digits today and tomorrow. Due to the wide range of impacts this winter storm will have, the NPS have already announced that they’ll be temporarily closing US 441 (Newfound Gap Rd) at 2:00 PM today to safely clear out visitors from the park before conditions rapidly deteriorate. No one should expect the closure to be lifted before the advisory ends and road crews have had a chance to assess tomorrow, so that means Alum Cave will be out of play for guests with reservations Friday night. Those affected guests should make plans to utilize one of the trails out of Cherokee Orchard or Roaring Fork, as no plans have been made to close those roads at this time. Should that situation change once the flakes start flying, we’ll of course share that information as we learn of it. Go through those gear checklists now if you haven’t already and make sure you’ve packed the hats, gloves, jackets, and traction devices. Have a great day.   Good Afternoon, Clouds and mist held sway over the mountain today. At times, it seemed like the summit might pop out above the cloud sea blanketing the valley below, leaving us to bask in warm and bright sunlight. But such moments were fleeting at best, as there was more gray to be seen today than blue. The nagging moisture kept things feeling muggy all around, but as expected, the winds are shifting and temps are cooling now and quite quickly. Already winds are gusting upwards of 40mph, and are expected to exceed that over the next few days as this latest cold front pushes through the region with authority. Tonight the thermometer will easily dip into the 20s and stay there until the weekend, with windchills near 0° likely with such breezy conditions. A Winter Weather Advisory has been issued for our area from 4:00 PM Thursday thru 10:00 AM Friday, calling for 3-5” of snow at our elevation. Even the gateway communities could see some accumulation. It should come as no surprise then if the NPS announce ahead of time tomorrow their intentions of temporarily closing US 441 (Newfound Gap Rd) and other roads due to the hazardous conditions. We’ll be sure and share such information should it come to that, but for now access to all Mt. LeConte trailheads is clear. So long as Cherokee Orchard Rd - and by extension Roaring Fork - remain open, the Lodge would remain open as well. It is the responsibility of each hiker to come prepared for the elements whether sunny and warm or frigid and snow laden. Warm layers from head-to-toe are a must for everyone the next few days, and if the ground cools enough to permit icing of trails, you’ll want those traction devices in tow as well. Please be smart and don’t skimp on the gear. Hypothermia and slips/falls are no joke this time of year, but can be easily avoided with proper care and preparation. Have a great day.   Good Morning, Monday was everything that was promised. Sunshine, warmth, grand views, just a great package deal for hiking in the Smokies. Hopefully folks were able to take advantage, because the day’s solo performance will be quite different from what is expected the rest of this week. The rain started to move into the region as breakfast platters were rolling out. Wet conditions are going to persist all of today and well into tomorrow. Because all this air is pushing up from the south, temps will remain quite warm until the wind direction swings from the west Wednesday evening. At that point, thermometers are going to drop across all elevations, the chilliness only to be amplified by the increasing wind gusts throughout the week. Whether this steep drop in temps from 50s to 20s occurs while precip is still in the vicinity will determine if we see this rain transition to flurries. Percentages are low at the moment, but some snow showers could make an appearance towards the back end of the week as well. Wind gusts are expected to whip as much as 35mph today, then continually build in strength each day and night until hitting 50mph early Friday. That will have a significant impact on how cold it will truly feel on the mountain, with windchills likely to dip into single digits for visitors at the summit. There’s no escaping it, but everyone with reservations now and through the weekend needs to load up on appropriate gear for staying dry and warm, and to include those traction devices should trails turn dicey. Alternate plans should also be drawn up if not already done so in case the NPS deem it necessary to temporarily close US 441 (Newfound Gap Rd) at any point should driving conditions turn hazardous. That means researching ways ahead of time to get to Cherokee Orchard Rd and Roaring Fork in case a trail like Alum Cave isn’t an option for accessing the lodge. That also means starting early to account for the added miles and shorter daylight. Waiting around at Sugarlands Visitor Center hounding the people at service counters who have no control over the road conditions does nothing to improve your situation. On the other hand, proper planning does. With only eight days left in the season, let’s all be smart and safe out there now that some turbulent winter-like weather is finally on the way. Have a great day.   Good Afternoon, Well, for most mid Novembers the previous 99 seasons, to be this warm and pleasant is just atypical and unexpected. But this unseasonably mild and sunny month carries on and the crowds continue to flock to the mountain, leaves or no leaves making zero difference in the attraction. Adding to the oddity are the temps that have been warmer up top, at least in the morning, compared to down in the lowlands. Not only has the human activity around the lodge looked like it would in June, but at times the air has felt like it’s summer again this weekend too. With only ten days remaining in the season, the forecast indicates at least one more superb day awaits, but sloppier weather and a thermometer finally looking to drop like a rock are on the way. So if finding time to ramble through the woods on Monday is a possibility, we recommend getting after it if you can. Tuesday shows the return of rain, then Wednesday evening the temps will plummet and we could even see some flurries fly. It’s impressive how long winter has waited to display a convincing show of force, but it appears the imminent arrival is finally now at hand. Have a great day.   US 441 (Newfound Gap Rd) has been reopened. Alum Cave Trail is once again accessible to hikers. Please drive with caution as wind gusts of 40mph and scattered rain showers are still forecast for this afternoon and evening. Good Morning,
It’s been a wet and windy start to this Thursday. The high peaks of the Smokies saw every bit of the predicted roaring wind speeds, gusts reaching as much as 80mph in some places. The High Wind Warning that was in effect has since expired, but gusty conditions will remain prevalent today and into Friday. Plenty of rain poured during the night, and it appears there will be a brief break in the action this afternoon before another round strikes tonight and early tomorrow. At this time, US 441 (Newfound Gap Rd) remains temporarily closed due to the hazardous conditions, so hikers looking to scale Mt. LeConte will need to do so from trailheads along Cherokee Orchard Rd or Roaring Fork. These strong winds have been mostly coming up from the south, so hopefully those accessible trails on the mountain’s north side will be sheltered from the worst of the weather’s wrath today. Temps will be in the 30s and 40s until we step into the weekend, at which point sunnier skies and slightly warmer temps make their return. Another great opportunity for late autumn visitors and weekend warriors to tackle the mountain as the 2024 season winds down. 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
January 2025
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