i am gonna make it through this year if it kills me. i am gonna make it through this year if it kills me.

2/5/2014

And the story of love is a long sad tale ending in graves. Kerouac

Morning y'all,

It's a grey, grey day up top. The high yesterday reached 44 degrees. The low last night reached 37 degrees. It was 37 degrees and cloudy at 7am observation. The mountain received .57" of rain yesterday. There is no snow remaining up top. The trails should be soggy, so bring an extra pair of socks if you intend to summit!

The wind was putting on a show yesterday afternoon. I was perched on one of the quieter cabin porches watching the trees swirl in the grey madness. It was mesmerizing. When you focus so intently on a sensation like that, you seem to float away. Before long, my mind was envisioning myself as one of those giants, swayed by invisible forces. After spending a good portion of the afternoon as one of the trees, I realized that I am also pushed and pulled by a million desires, the roots of which I comprehend no more than the Fraser Firs comprehend the wind. I can only hope that I can endure my mystifying forces with as much grace as my noble neighbors.

22 Comments

rob ledwon

02/05/2014 10:20am

wish i could be there to enjoy it with yall! i would love to experience what all of the lodge has to offer!

Ryan La

02/05/2014 12:39pm

Rob, someday is never coming. Slap your hand on the table and say, Ryan La is right, I'm going to do this and just do it.

Brian N bama

02/05/2014 1:50pm

I will take a hike to Mt Leconte in the howling winds and pouring rain over clear skies and sunshine at the office any day. HAPPY TRAILS

rob

02/06/2014 2:20pm

you are right my man, gotta just do it! makin plans for that now! may i ask if you work at the lodge?

dan waits

02/05/2014 10:27am

ya know, I wish you did vlogs, too. Just sayin'...

Debbie Fitzgerald

02/05/2014 10:47am

Amazing....and calming...I swear, those mountains call to me!!!

Ryan in Green Bay

02/05/2014 10:51am

Mount leconte(Smokies in general) is the only place where I would love watching it rain or the wind blowing. It would be really neat if a web camera could be installed at the lodge to see the progression of the seasons. But I know a place with limited technology/power is meant to live in our minds till we can visit again

Steve

02/05/2014 11:07am

There are two webcams on the Smoky website, natnl park. Look Rock and Purchase Knob. The Smokies is a national park, not a resort. People sometimes don't realize how limited things can be done in a natnl park. Greenpeace.

phillip

02/05/2014 12:33pm

You speak precisely, exactly, honestly, and absolutely correctly Steve ! There's far too much commercialization and "civilization" of the Park as it is !

phillip

02/05/2014 12:37pm

Yes, Ryan, it's a place meant to live in our minds; well said ! I know a fellow who posts here regularly who told me the exact same thing, i.e., about it being a place to enjoy watching the rain and the winds blowing. I think he's on the mountain today actually.

Paul B

02/05/2014 12:19pm

Beautiful photo and description of what would an enjoyable afternoon. You have taken me from sharing with others not just the visual beauty of LeConte but also the spectacular imagery your words create. Full credit given to Mr JP Krol of course!

Steve

02/05/2014 12:43pm

Thanks Phillip, usually someone remarks badly when I post something, so I don't very much, but love the site. Ryan in Green Bay- resortcams.com has webcams all over the NC mountains, I am from the Blowing Rock area.

Karla

02/05/2014 1:58pm

I love Blowing Rock. The perfect place to live!!!!

Paul rom

02/05/2014 3:28pm

Brain n Bama have not seen you post in awhile.And DougY must be looking at real estate .

Brian N bama

02/05/2014 5:05pm

I am lurking behind the scenes. Seems like the more I post, the more obsessed I get with needing to head up top which leads to taking of work, LOL. I wish Doug the best of luck. I have been looking for the "perfect" place for about 4 years now. residence or condo, residence or condo...UGH...I just want to hike..HAPPY TRAILS

norman 'abr' ga.

02/05/2014 5:31pm

as of the 3rd, doug y has taken a few days off....

jean d

02/05/2014 7:26pm

Commercialization and civilization of our east TN mountains -- wow I am an old timer who remembers when Gatlinburg was really a small mountain town and all the hotels, inns, and shops fit the bill as examples of small mountain town décor. Our family had a cabin up toward the orchard at the foot of Mt LeConte on the edge of the park and in perfect view of "The Mountain" For a while in Gatlinburg only new buildings could be erected if they met the ":mountain style" as reflected in the old timers places. That was Gatlinburg's style. Jack Huff built the first buildings on top of LeConte, then carried his mother up in a chair on his back to see what he had built. (There are pictures on other sites) and it all fit the mountain style of the people who had lived in the area for generations. That story and our cabin at the foot of the "Mountain" are part of my fondest memories. Love seeing that JP, Allyson and the other staff are keeping that legacy going on top of our majestic eastern high elevations for the latest generations of folks to enjoy.

Paul rom

02/06/2014 8:44am

Sometimes change is not for the best. Nowadays you can't walk down the sidewalks of Gatlinburg without being harrassed by time share salesman

Steve

02/06/2014 8:47am

Gatlinburg to me is like visiting Myrtle Beach with hills. Don't go anywhere near the place. Sad what commercialization does!

Donnie R

02/06/2014 9:08am

Paulrom..."Haint that the truth " My family and I keep to the park for the most part, however there is a small section of town we enjoy in the evenings. The section from the village, to Fannie Farkles ;)

norman

02/06/2014 9:21am

how bad has Townsend got??

Johnoe

02/06/2014 11:07am

Townsend hasn't changed at all. Thank goodness!

Comments are closed.

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