February 24th, 2013

2/24/2013

Morning y'all,

It's a stunning morning up top. The high yesterday reached 41 degrees. The low was 22 degrees. It was 23 degrees and clear at 7am observation. The mountain received no new precipitation yesterday. We had a little bit of melt, so there's only about an inch of snow left up top.

I came up Alum yesterday and the trail is in pretty good shape. There isn't too much troublesome ice, but I'd still pack some sort of traction device in case last night's freezing temperatures worsened conditions. Get out and enjoy the day!

mountain man Dan

2/24/2013 01:08:09 am

Looks like a beautiful day up there JP. As I sit looking at the lodge from my home in Pittman Center I can see right where you're at. Also a big high to Debi as we are both from the same town.This is my first post but have been reading this for months and enjoy the comments and the wonderful pictures. Hi Tenderfoot. MMD

tomk in SC

2/24/2013 05:52:39 am

MMD: There was a brief discussion last week about the best place to see the lodge from PF. As I recall, somewhere near Pittman Center Road looked promising. Can you actually see the lodge from where you are? It might be interesting to find someone with a camera equipped telescope and snap JP from where you are.

Debi

2/24/2013 08:30:31 pm

Wow! Someone other than me from Ludington that knows of Mt. Leconte. When I tell someone about it they usually say Where? Why would you go all the way up there? You just have to do it to figure out why its so awsome.

Larry

2/24/2013 01:33:03 am

Morning JP, another local here, (Sevierville) I wish I could come up but I'm nursing a sore knee. I was a regular last fall but have only been up twice since the lodge closed. Hopefully I can be there opening day. Like other posters I really enjoy your comments & pictures, have a great day.

Dan

2/24/2013 01:56:54 am

Wonderful sunrise. While I would need a pretty intense telescope from where I sit (SW Ohio) to see the mountain it reminds me enough of sunrises while camping at Look Rock and looking back to the crest of the Smokies. I miss Look Rock and look forward to being back in the Smokies soon.

Tom

2/24/2013 07:22:23 am

Dan, here's an NPS web cam of the Smoky's from Look Rock

http://www.nature.nps.gov/air/webcams/parks/grsmcam/grsmcam.cfm

Bruce E. link

2/24/2013 02:46:36 am

Noticed you came up Alum Cave trail the last 2 days. How is that done?

Larry

2/24/2013 04:25:14 am

Easy, You hike down another trail, catch a ride to the Alum Cave Trail & hike up. This past October I hiked up the Alum Cave Trail to the lodge twice in one day, but it wasn't easy.

pam

2/24/2013 03:35:17 am

I don't need the telescope I can see it in my minds eye. As I too am from Ohio central. 3 wks and I will be hiking somewhere in those great mts. I can't wait. En.noy ur last few wks JP!

Pam

2/24/2013 10:06:44 am

That was enjoy your last weeks on the mountains JP. Darn phone!!

Donnie R

2/24/2013 05:05:13 am

Another Buckeye here ;) From S.W. Ohio as well ! Great pic this morn. JP...Headed to the Burg this coming wknd. but probably wont make my trek up to Leconte until my wks stay in June. Have a awesome day up top my man !

Cindy W

2/24/2013 05:38:01 am

Good Afternoon JP! I'm another Buckeye....Enjoy reading your posts. Also was happy to meet you several weeks ago when my friend Gerri and I hiked up via Rainbow Falls Trail on Feb. 6th. You are doing a fabulous job on the daily posts....alof of us will miss you when you leave in March. If you think of it, will you post the date for the airlift supplies to LeConte? Thx so very much!

hrtn

2/24/2013 08:16:24 am

So beautiful

MMD link

2/24/2013 11:14:58 am

TomK in S.C.
You get avery good view of the lodge at Mt Lecount from highway 416 which is Pittman Center Road 1 mile north off highway 321. Which is just past the Greenbrier entrance to the park. Hope this is some help. MMD

tomk in SC

2/24/2013 11:28:01 am

Now we need to recruit Russian spy weet camera for to catch JP waifink from back deck behint dinink room. JP, eef red doat appears on yore sweetshirt, step qvickly to one side.
I think a grainy long lens shot of JP at the lodge would be great!

doug y

2/24/2013 11:26:03 am

'Tis not my photo to name, but I call the top photo "The Sea of Tranquility" !! Peaceful, serene, soft, beautiful, precisely indicative of the magnificence of the view from that mountain ! The clouds gently rippling, caressing the higher ridges with a gentleness that bespeaks of the protectiveness of nature, all manner of creatures lying below in quiet restfulness and safety. Predators and prey momentarily taking a brief respite from the rigors of existence with great promises of the future. The importance of mankind relegated to a niche in the ladder of history, with a compassion directed to all forms of life, peacefully coexisting. Each and every photo I am privileged to see on this site is a marevelous depiction of what all of we readers see in our minds as pam so gracefully stated. Why does Leconte Lodge enthrall, excite, and capture us !? We know, we know. Each of us might have slightly different reasons for being overcome by the spell of the moutains, particularly the one we all call "ours", but collectively, they all point to the central phenomena that the lodge exudes ! When I'm no longer a part of this great Earth, I do believe, and hope, that my eternal spirit will wander throughout the Great Smokies. Tony Ga: in reference to me flying that airlift helicopter, well, it would probably the lead segment on America's Funniest Videos ! I'll settle for helping with the lift wherever I might be useful. Good evening to all !

Rexanna

2/24/2013 01:28:24 pm

Nite all. I hope Elisabeth had a wonderful 1st experience on Alum Saturday.

Sherry M link

2/24/2013 01:59:31 pm

Another Buckeye from SW Ohio - Love your posts and pictures, JP. I bet you are wishing your time on the mountain wasn't getting so short and the rest of us can't wait till spring so we can come up and soend a night or 2

Connie

2/24/2013 04:32:07 pm

Gorgeous pictures! Thank you!

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February 24th, 2013

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February 24th, 2013

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