Aug. 22, 2013

Good afternoon.  It's been a mixed bag of weather thus far today on top of LeConte.  Wednesday's high reached 61 before sinking to 53 overnight with a trace of rain.

My favorite weather of the last 24 hours came right about supper last night, when the clouds began to dissipate and gave our guests a decent sunset and view into the valley (which is precisely what happened the night before).  Skies remained clear early into the night, affording a fine view of the full moon rising just to the right of High Top.  I love the way the full moon makes the weathered, gray wood on the side of the cabins glow.

This morning we woke to a fog thicker than one of our Hudson Bay wool blankets.  This afternoon the fog bank is beginning to yield more often to the sun, though we've had a few sprinkles this afternoon.  I think we're on the cusp of one of our prettiest weekends of the summer (if the forecast holds true).

Since June 1, we've seen rain (including trace amounts) on 66 of the last 83 days.  Those 17 rainless days were more often than not gray, but I think we're in for an improvement.

I noticed a question in the comments following yesterday's post about what the wet summer portends for the winter season.  In short, I won't even predict prospects for a LeConte sunset one hour in the future (learned that the hard way pretty early in my first season working up here).  If you can find anyone who will tell you precisely what today's weather means for November, then make certain you never buy a car from that person because you are in the presence of a nefarious rascal.

We enjoyed hosting more fine guests last night--and they seemed to enjoy each other.  At one point, I heard someone playing guitar and singing "Night Rider's Lament," an excellent song I first heard while horse wrangling in the Front Range of the Colorado Rockies.  The lyrics explain a lot about why the people who work up at the lodge undertake such an assignment.  I was just about to go out and compliment the musician on such a fine and original selection.  However, then I heard him playing "Dueling Banjos" on guitar (also notably the theme song from the movie "Deliverance").  There was certainly no resemblance to the movie, but, all the same, I decided to give a little space.

Happy trails. 

Llama wrangler Alan leads his charges down the mountain earlier this month.