June 8, 2017

6/8/2017

Good Afternoon,
We've witnessed brief moments of sunshine and blue sky today, but the giant clouds refuse to let go of the mountain. There was even a brief rain shower after lunch time. The thermometer has barely scraped 50 degrees today, so expect slightly cooler than normal temps up top, especially during the evening. It should return to warmer and sunny conditions over the weekend. Yesterday's high temp managed to reach 60, and for the second day in a row we recorded a low of 38.

New growth on the Frasier Firs, a great sign!

Crew 93 would like to thank everyone who has kindly brought us goodies throughout the season. We appreciate your thoughtfulness, as we certainly enjoy those particular sweets that are a little harder to come by on our own while on the mountain. From peanut butter cups to hard candies, and carbonated beverages to newspapers, it's always well received by this group.
It looks to be a gorgeous late spring weekend ahead of us, so try and fit a climb up your favorite mountain into your schedule. With these warmer days, perhaps our lemonade will better suit your tastes versus the famous hot chocolate or some coffee. Either way, we'll have them all ready for you!
Take care and have a great rest of the day.

13 Comments

MMW

6/8/2017 02:20:51 pm

Looking for some advice. We will be hiking up at the end of July. This will be my husband's and my second hike and stay at the lodge. Our 10 year old son will be making his first trip. We'll be taking Trillium Gap. When I "won" reservations back in October, little did we know that I would be around 6 and 1/2 months pregnant at the time of our reservation! Ha! I do plan to talk to my doctors, and if I'm given the green light to go, I'll be on the trail!

I know that I will definitely need to pack a LOT of water and some snacks, rest often, go at my own pace, etc. My question is: does anyone have any recommendations for trekking poles or would a single walking stick work as well? I don't necessarily want to spend big bucks for a pair of poles (under $100 would be nice), but I'm thinking something may come in especially handy for the trip down the next day.

Thanks for any advice!

Uncle Gary

6/8/2017 05:01:30 pm

I have not been pregnant but I do use a trekking pole and think it is very worthwhile. When I climbed Ranier the outfitter required us to use two poles. I guess if one is good two is better. I would definitely use at least one.

doug y link

6/8/2017 06:46:56 pm

MMW: Do as your doctors recommend and if approved. go for it. For you I would suggest two trekking poles. The last pair I purchased were designed for a woman but they do a good job for me as they adjust rapidly if needed and their cost was right about the $100 mark; I would think that you could find a decent pair for somewhat less. Maybe at an NOC store. You might just be a first for the Lodge. It will be interesting to read about your journey afterwards. Good luck to you.

elktonbrant

6/8/2017 07:17:01 pm

I remember when we started hiking a while back, we got our first, and inexpensive, poles at the Day Hiker Store in Gatlinburg. Since then we have upgraded to poles from REI. I'm sure there are other outdoor/hiking stores that would also carry trekking poles (like NOC in Gatlinburg).
The advantage of a trekking pole versus a walking stick is that even the most inexpensive trekking poles have a shock absorption mechanism which will help take some of the pressure off of your knees as you go down the hill. They also adjust based on your height.... and you can make them shorter going uphill and longer going downhill to keep your stride consistent. We can't imagine ever doing LeConte again without our poles!

Karen

6/8/2017 09:04:10 pm

I usually do not use hiking poles but the last time I hiked LeConte, it rained all the way down the mountain. I did have 2 poles with me & I think they were extremely useful on a wet trail, stopping me from slipping & sliding. I was very thankful that a friend had loaned them to me. They are lightweight & attach easily to a day pack if you do not need them, but they can be very useful if raining or you get fatigued.
Maybe you can borrow from someone or find a used pair on eBay. You might like them so much you use for many future hikes! Best wishes hiking while pregnant- Be sure to start early in the morning so you have plenty of time to take rest breaks. The Trillium trail is gorgeous. Like a lush green tunnel into the sky!

KnoxBill

6/8/2017 10:20:17 pm

I bought my first pair of trekking poles at Target... didn't cost much, but held up well for several years until I replaced them with lighter poles. They're like using handrails on a staircase and just provide you with better balance going downhill & rock hopping, as well as a little upper body climbing power when going uphill. I don't get on trail without them. Hope you doctor gives you the green light to hike. And best wishes to you and your baby!

Franklin

6/8/2017 10:35:59 pm

MMW, I needed to upgrade my old hiking poles last year. I purchased some Black Diamond poles from a local outfitter. The model I bought are the Trail Back's for around $80. They were highly rated and I like them a lot. Best of luck to you.

Jeff Walldorf

6/9/2017 09:05:30 am

My wife uses these. https://www.amazon.com/Cascade-Mountain-Tech-Quick-Lock/dp/B00EJP43FA/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1497013023&sr=8-3&keywords=mountain+cascade+trekking+poles
They seem to work really well for the price and are light enough to stow if you don't need them at the time.
I would absolutely stay away from twist lock poles and go with some with flip locks on them. Twist lock poles can slip and collapse if you don't crank them down. Not fun if you have a lot of weight on them.

Pat N

6/8/2017 02:31:55 pm

Love the new, fresh growth! The mountain never ceases to amaze. I'd like to put in an order for grand weather from June 17-27. Kidding aside, we love whatever the mountain and Mother Nature provide.

John L

6/8/2017 03:33:15 pm

I started using poles a few years ago and they have really helped, especially going down. Black Diamond makes some good ones for under $100. If you can get cock grips instead of rubber that would be best. If not, for your trip, rubber will be fine. I am not sure if there has been a birth on the mountain. I did attend one wedding though.

Sherleen

6/8/2017 05:32:37 pm

I'm happy to see new growth on that tree. Maybe those old beetles won't find it.

Tammy (Tx)

6/8/2017 08:37:07 pm

Because of health issues, I use trekking poles. They are a life saver for me and help take some of strain of hiking off my body. I wouldn't hike without them. They help when stepping up on and over rocks, roots, etc. They just give me more stability and minimize the chance of falling. Congratulations on the baby!

MMW

6/8/2017 10:54:58 pm

Thanks for the suggestions and well wishes! Fortunately we have an REI here in Cincinnati so I can hopefully test drive some poles in the store. I'll provide an update after our trip! :)

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June 8, 2017

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