January 29th, 2019

1/29/2019

Good Morning,

It’s currently 16 degrees with bluebird skies and an inversion of the clouds. We received a quick 3.5” inches of snow this morning after I called in the weather.

— Plan and prepare for winter conditions with snow and ice on the trails. I consider ice-traction mandatory for a safe ascent / descent in these conditions. --

Hwy 441 Newfound Gap Rd. from Gatlinburg, TN to Cherokee, NC is closed to all vehicles due to forecasted weather of snow and wind.
— Smokies Road Info (@SmokiesRoadsNPS) January 29, 2019

The sun rose quietly out of reach. A cloud enshrouding Mt. LeConte waited patiently for what the day would bring. I mimicked the sentiment - where was the snow? No sooner had the coffee brewed, the snow came in on a wind. Large flakes quickly erased the earth beneath me.

Just as the snow really began to accumulate the clouds ripped apart; bluebird skies smiled down. My schedule for the day shifted,

o Ski
o Write
o Play in snow
o Ski
o Eat
o Repeat

It was time to check some things off the list.

Onward,
Seth

"A year of snow, a year of plenty." — French proverb

5 Comments

Sue W

1/29/2019 02:15:36 pm

Hope you got everything on your list accomplished!

barrie eldridge

1/29/2019 10:26:04 pm

I just have to respond to the post of the 27th. I have heard before that only folks on foot should enter the beautiful parks. I have been to a good many national parks and have hiked LeConte more than 30 times. Now that age and bad knees have caught up with me, it breaks my heart to think I could never see the park and take short walks because I couldn't drive in. I agree that noise from loud motors can be a problem. I do hope that the parks will always be open for the citizens, able bodied or not, young and old to enjoy.

Seth Orme

1/30/2019 09:21:53 am

Barrie,

Thanks for writing. Access vs Preservation is the great paradox that faces our wild spaces. I appreciate and value your opinion. My thoughts remain on the side of preservation because I would be more heartbroken it my great grand children never got the opportunity to see the wild spaces that we value so much because we loved them to death.

Here is great resource from the National Park Service discussing the air quality, among other thing, in the Park:

https://www.nps.gov/grsm/learn/nature/air-quality.htm

Have a great day,
Caretaker

Franklin

1/30/2019 12:38:15 pm

Electric shuttle buses could be the answer. I know many people don't like the idea. But if I have to choose between driving my personal vehicle or prolonging the health of the park, I know which side I'm on.

1/31/2019 11:35:59 am

Ahh yess, I was thinking along these lines this morning, and I agree with you. As with any great paradox - the answer is often waiting on the middle ground of compromise. Thanks for writing and adding to the conversation!

Cheers,
Seth

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January 29th, 2019

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