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June 21, 2013

6/21/2013

 
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This sunrise from a couple of days ago trumped the one from today's summer solstice.
Hello to you all from the top of Mt. LeConte.  I'd like to wish everyone a great summer solstice day and hope the upcoming summer proves happy and fruitful for you.  I also hope you'll be able to sneak in a trip to see us on top of LeConte.

Thursday's high reached 62 degrees with an overnight low of 48.  Our sprinkles yesterday amounted to 0.22 inches of rain.  A couple of crew members celebrated the beginning of summer with an early hike out to Myrtle Point to greet the sunrise before their breakfast shift.  From my vantage point at the lodge the sunrise was muted, but my fellow crew members said the show was better at Myrtle Point.  From that point, it didn't take long for the cloud to swallow us.

For two days I've trotted out a sunny forecast during breakfast announcements--and for two days we've seen precious little of that golden orb.  We've not had too much rain either, just a heaping helping of gray.  Although this is the longest day of the year (sunrise at 6:18 a.m and sunset at 8:53 p.m. near LeConte), the sun hasn't been working overtime for us on the mountain.  The solar water pump has been starved for most of the last week, leaving us to resort to a gasoline pump to provide water for the lodge.

One of my most memorable summer solstice days came in 2009 when I was wrangling horses in Alaska.  There, the sun truly does work overtime.  On solstice day, there wasn't a minute overnight that I couldn't have gone outside to read a book.  There is also a summer solstice tradition in Alaska for a midnight first pitch at a minor league baseball game in a stadium without lights.  No baseball at LeConte Lodge tonight (though we certainly have enough guests to fill out several teams); I'll leave my ice cleats stowed away for later (much later, I hope).

Happy trails.
Rose
6/21/2013 07:48:06 am

I hope you get many sunny days soon. The gardens in the valley needs sun to have veggies also. Gday!

Dan
6/21/2013 08:01:50 am

Happy Summer Solstice to you too. I hope to be atop the mountain for a visit a month from now. Although it is not as dramatic as watching the sunset or rise from the mountain, but I happened to notice a sunbeam coming into the house from an extremely odd angle because the sunset was so far north.

Mark
6/21/2013 08:51:54 am

I had a kind of similar sunshine experience the first time I took the family on vacation in a camper to the furthest North of Maine in July. The first morning I was amazed to be awakened by sunshine streaming in my window at 4:30 in the morning! It had just never occurred to me that the further north you go, the longer the daylight. That's what enables the North to grow crops in such a short growing season.

Debi
6/21/2013 09:32:53 am

Wow! I forget how the sun is closer to the equater down there. Sunset at 8:53pm. Ha! Maybe we can stay awake for those fireworks. I was mowing grass up here in Michigan last night after 9 and it was as bright as can be. My husband says I like winter we can go to bed at a decent hour. When we have our fireworks in Michigan I don't think the sunsets until after 10pm. At least it doesn't get real dark until then. Looking forward to early fireworks.

Tony Ga
6/21/2013 12:51:54 pm

doug y my friend you out there? Have you gave any thought of going on our night hike July 4th? Debi said we all could stay in her cabin. LOL

Debi
6/21/2013 11:55:46 pm

Yeah, wheres Doug been???? You can sleep on my front porch Tony.

Tony Ga
6/22/2013 02:19:56 am

Thanks, but we'll be stumbling down the mountain in the dark. Told the wife I'll have so many lights on me I'll look like an U.F.O. coming down the mountain.

Brian N bama
6/22/2013 04:06:31 am

Tony Ga, have you determined what time ya'll are going to start up the trail? I would like to know about what time the sun will be setting. Guess we can hang out on Debi's front porch huh? LOL Can't wait to try out my new shoes and headlamp!!!

Debi
6/22/2013 04:33:46 am

Yes, bring ice, I need my drink cold. :)

Tony Ga
6/22/2013 07:35:47 am

Looks like sunset around 8:52 so maybe start 5 or 4:30?

Brian N bama
6/22/2013 07:46:00 am

Debi, if I bring it, all that will be left is water. I could let my son go ahead with it, he could make with some left I am sure. Tony Ga, that is what I was thinking as well. Maybe the weather will be AWESOME!!!

Hoosier
6/21/2013 01:43:54 pm

I made a trip up LeConte in mid April and the weather was beautiful. I learned a lot about the solar energy up top that day. It wasn't long after I returned home, I saw the picture of water cascading over the steps leading to the dining hall. Since then, it seems like it's been raining quite often. Maybe you should consider converting from solar power to hydroelectric power.

awe
6/22/2013 03:45:51 pm

)))


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