i don't know where, but she sends me there.

12/21/2012

Only two days exist in the year when you cannot do anything. One is called yesterday and the other is tomorrow. But today is the best day to love, grow, do, and mainly to live. Dalai Lama

Morning,

It is finally winter. You can tell by looking outside, having the paralyzing early morning air steal the breath from you, and looking at a calendar today. I wish I had a wind gauge up here, things were really rocking up top. I was getting a little worried about the solar panels! The high yesterday reached 36 degrees and the overnight low dipped to 10 degrees! The current temperature is 10 degrees and it is snowing lightly. The mountain has received 2 inches thus far and we also had 1.70" of rain yesterday. The snow started falling around 8pm.

The trails are sure to be a mess today. There was a ton of water on the trail yesterday afternoon and I'm sure it has frozen. I would definitely recommend Microspikes or some other traction device. I also saw a few small blowdowns on Alum yesterday evening, there are bound to be plenty more. For the time being, the Newfound Gap road is closed. Keep an eye on the Park Service's twitter feed for more updates. Happy winter!

Yes. 6:55 am, my porch!

Steve D

12/20/2012 11:56:22 pm

Bravo for you JP, glad you got some snow! I will see you hopefully this weekend if they open 441S up to the Alum Trailhead. Enjoy!

Barbara C

12/21/2012 12:05:09 am

JP, I told you to hang on it was a coming, maybe even more for Christmas, that magical snow, then comes Jan. and I expect to see a lot more, Feb. even more and with March maybe blizzard conditions. You'll have so much snow this year you'll be sick of it and want to leave us and not come back next year. So glad you got it.

Charlotte

12/21/2012 01:06:13 am

Merry early Christmas, glad you're getting some snow up there. Enjoy n post some great pics

Helen Bukulmez link

12/21/2012 01:20:13 am

Envious, I say, I am envious! Enjoy the mountain for me, too.

greg bailey

12/21/2012 02:35:46 am

read your post daily. keep em coming. post pictures of the snow also if you can

Linda M

12/21/2012 03:14:01 am

Enjoy the wonderful snowy weather! I know it will be beautiful and magical. As for me, I will wait (not too patiently) for June. My favorite color is green! ⛄

Ron

12/21/2012 03:41:40 am

On the way...gotta get to newfound somehow...might be staying in a hotel tonight and hit the trail tomorrow if they don't get the road open

doug y

12/21/2012 03:44:00 am

Looks like the mountain will get some snow, perhaps; I'm sure the wind has pummeled the lodge steadily as it has in the lowlands. Being up there during the off-season has to be a great experience, the solitude, quietness, pervasive atmosphere of wonder, and simply the beauty of everything. Cheers.

Steve D

12/21/2012 08:58:19 am

Hey Doug-did you get to make your Trillium hike this week?

12/21/2012 03:53:45 am

Glad your getting some snow JP chase the Bob Kitty! Im hoping i can get some friends to day hike sunday up to the lodge!! we spent two nights in oct up there week before the storm!! Hope to see ya soon!

Debi

12/21/2012 04:35:23 am

Were getting snow here. Can't really tell how much as its blowing extremely hard here too. Walked out of Walmart today and nearly blew my hat off. My 15 year old son yells at me " Come on you want to walk the AT when you can't even get out to your car from Walmart, come on pick up the pace! " Gotta love the kid. I guess JP took some of my snow, because I didn't get as much as I thought I'd get, but its not over yet.

Pat N.

12/21/2012 04:45:15 am

I love the winter setting you are finally getting to experience. A VERY Merry Christmas to you, JP!

Paula

12/21/2012 04:57:33 am

Just love reading your posts everyday! One day will make it to the top of the mountain, it is definitely on my bucket list. Have a wonderful winter season and hope you don't tire of the snow, it is beautiful.

doug m

12/21/2012 05:57:38 am

http://www.mountain-forecast.com/peaks/Mount-LeConte/forecasts/2010

according to this website you are supposed to get 60 mph winds!
Hang on!

pam

12/21/2012 06:47:19 am

We have about 2 inches of snow in central Ohio. The winds are what is terrible!! Be safe to all.

Darwin

12/21/2012 08:00:34 am

how you guys makin it up there...they have closed the cades cove road due to high winds ( 95-100 mph gusts) hang on up there.

Dave Gibson link

12/21/2012 09:12:42 am

It's been blowing like stink down here in Georgia. I'm glad the temps are in the 50s here.

doug y

12/22/2012 12:21:38 am

The winds are gone, snow is, well, possible, and life goes on, eh !? We're all still here..........If you don't think that the news is manipulated, you need to watch more carefully. Just this morning it was announced that a comet that had been calculated to strike the earth is now no longer a threat, but, of course, it wasn't supposed to collide with the planet until about 2040. All that was on yesterday were the doomsday programs concerning the Mayan predictions, etc. If I had truly thought that they were right I would have been standing on Cliff Tops waiting for it ! Hope everyone has a great weekend. Cheers.

doug y

12/22/2012 02:35:36 am

Steve D: yes, I ,managed to get it in, but it just didn't last long enough ! (almost overlooked your question above) My next plans are to do some hiking over around the Fontana Dam area. I've hiked all the trails in the Park, but those down there usually only once before, so, I'm looking forward to returning as there are some great hikes with great scenery to enjoy around the lake. Might even hike up to the mountaintop on that portion of the A.T. weather permitting. I'm guilty of usually hiking the most familar trails to me and the most easily accessible, but as long as I'm hiking that's only secondary. G'day

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i don't know where, but she sends me there.

LeConte Lodge

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