Good afternoon. We've enjoyed a similar weather pattern as the last few days, though without showers or prolonged thick cloud cover today. We're sitting under partly cloudy skies this afternoon and seeing the sun pop out periodically. We had another really pretty morning. The high temperature was 63 with an overnight low of 46.
It's been a blessedly uneventful day. In this job, there's nothing wrong with uneventful. The llamas have come and gone, delivering fresh linens and eggs to LeConte Lodge. Crew members Pat and Jeanie reported something interesting they saw a few days ago when they had an afternoon off. Near Cliff Tops, they saw a doe and likely just-born fawn. The fawn was wobbly, moving in fits and starts as four-legged newcomers do a few minutes after arrival. The mother was licking it clean. Most years, we usually have some fawns roaming around the lodge. Most of our LeConte wild critters are good neighbors, especially the deer and salamanders. I like the bears (that humans haven't ruined) and ravens a lot, too. The deer are great to have next door. They always keep their grass cut, their parties are quiet and they never drop in unexpectedly for coffee. They will use the bathroom in your yard, but that's a small price to pay for a good neighbor. I can't say that I've developed a great affinity for the squirrels, however. The boomers tend to get even more manic this time of year, so please don't feed them or encourage close encounters. We had a guest bitten by a squirrel last month at Alum Cave Bluff. I can think of 6,457 other things I'd rather spend money on than rabies shots. On another note, I learned that Dollywood will offer a nightly fireworks show again this year from June 14-Aug. 3. I think the show begins at 9:30 p.m., and lasts for about five-seven minutes. I saw last year's show occasionally, and it was an enjoyable diversion every now and again. On a quiet night, it's also fascinating to me to hear how long it takes for the sound to reach the lodge. The LeConte Lodge dining room and porch close at 9 p.m., but there are other places to watch the show from up top if you choose. My favorite nightly light show is underway at Elkmont campground in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The synchronous lightning bugs put on an unearthly display for about two weeks during late May moving toward mid June. I grew up camping often at Elkmont and my Papaw used to attend dances in the 1930s at the old Wonderland Hotel, but I never heard about the fireflies until the late 1990s. Mike Blackerby wrote a nice article about the phenomenon in the Saturday, June 7 Knoxville News Sentinel. It's absolutely amazing to see thousands of lightning bugs (my favorite insect anyway) flash and rest in synchronization. These waves of lightning bug flashes rise up the ridges in incredible fashion on a good night. The first time I saw the firefly display it seemed like I was walking on a blinking carpet. It's the closest thing to living in a Led Zeppelin song I can imagine. Of course, like all things, there were a rare few people there who said, "I thought the fireflies would be brighter." These are the same people who complain that Yellowstone's Old Faithful didn't last long enough or that the Grand Canyon is just a big hole in the ground or that Volcanoes National Park on Hawaii's Big Island is just a bunch of black rocks. My mom says those type people, "wouldn't be happy if you hanged them with a gold rope." Don't be one of those people. Happy trails.
Kent
6/9/2014 09:38:44 am
It seems that while most folks understand why you shouldn't feed bears, they don't see anything wrong with feeding smaller critters like squirrels -- and even deer, for that matter.
Judy
6/9/2014 09:42:33 am
I'm going to bring up a really unpleasant subject. I'm sure you'll just love me for this! Going down the Alum Cave Trail, the one thing that really makes me unhappy is seeing the kleenex/toilet paper flowers off to the sides. Now, I totally understand that when you need to go, you need to go! Here's what you do. After you use that Kleenex, you take a stick and push it down into a hole and scuffle your boot over the top, Takes about two seconds! How hard is that? Thank you, thank you for doing that!
Missy
6/9/2014 10:39:00 am
Agreed.
It's not so much an unpleasant subject, Jenny B, as one that needs to be addressed occasionally, or frequently. Yeah, if you gotta go, you gotta go ! And, as you so simply expressed, it's so easy to at least cover it ! The types of people who do this do NOT deserve to even be IN the Park, that's MY opinion. And, it's another reason why I seldom take Alum up the mountain anymore, because I see not only more "tourists" (I have another word but decorum forbids me from using it here) but more trash, especially from the bluffs on down of course: gum wrappers, cigarette butts, well, you name it ! It's nothing but very sad.
Missy
6/9/2014 02:26:11 pm
doug y, While I agree with what you are saying about trash on Alum, I do not think you can only blame it on tourists. Lots of the homes in the area are heavily decorated with an ample supply of trash and junk. That is unattractive as well. Anyone who visits GSMNP is a tourist. It's sad when anyone disrespects our park.
Kent
6/9/2014 03:20:30 pm
People can't be bothered to do the responsible thing, apparently. If someone who feels the need to smoke while hiking and can't even take the time to think about bringing along something – maybe a piece of foil, perhaps – in which to dispose of their butts, what does that say about our culture? What's wrong with it that we manage to manufacture so many people like this? I'd love to know.
Karen
6/9/2014 04:05:48 pm
I too am disgusted by the trash, especially the tissue, left behind. Unfortunately, those who read these posts love LeConte & the Smokies and are not likely the ones who would be so irresponsible to leave it behind. But I disagree about pushing it into a hole- Leave No Trace! This is what zip loc bags are for!! The tissue takes MUCH longer to decompose than one would expect.
Anna
6/9/2014 04:31:31 pm
Please, enough already! Karen, in principle I agree with you, but I am trying to be realistic about how people can deal with this problem. Anna, too bad you are upset about this issue. I am much more disgusted with the problem on the trail and sorry you don't want to hear about it but I would rather try to deal with the issue.
Steve
6/10/2014 12:41:07 am
How about digging that 6 inch hole like the national park requires!!
jean d
6/9/2014 10:01:33 am
Love seeing the pictures of the lavender rhododendron. As long as I've lived here in E. TN --grew up here and on the 7th I became almost officially ancient, lack 1 yr for that milestone--I did not know that any but the lighter almost white bloomed on this (the west) side of the TN/NC state Line except Roan Mountain. Maybe I have not been where that color blooms at the right time. Are the lavender on any places other than LeConte in the park?
Brian N bama
6/9/2014 11:11:43 am
Nathan, I saw the fire flies for the first time Thursday....unbelievable....it is definitely a must do for any one who enjoys the tranquility the GSMNP has to offer....
Amy Slifko
6/9/2014 02:49:16 pm
We are all but visitors to GSMNP system. I enjoyed my second "trolleyed" visit to see the fireflies the other evening. Amazing! I picked up my own trash, and all I saw along the way....
dave
6/9/2014 05:21:04 pm
Heading up in a few weeks and was thinking using the Boulevard trail
elktonbrant
6/10/2014 06:02:11 am
Dave, It is sad to see the parks left with trash. I did a 22.6 mile hike up the Bonds Sunday in the White Mountains in N.H were I live and we have the same stuff left on our trails here. There are some people that don't care. But there are a lot of hikers who love these Mountains. So its happen in all your states,
Norma Phipps
6/10/2014 03:10:30 am
Its not only people throwing trash, its the total lack of respect for the mountains. A lot of people think the rules are meant for everyone but them. We camped in the Smokeys for years and people obeyed the ruled and were respectful. We finally quit camping four years ago because of a total lack of respect for other people or the rules. The rules for the national park are for a reason and if people want disrupt other people and have their loud music and loud parties I wish they would have gone to a commercial campground and let the rest of us enjoy nature. Sadly its not that way anymore.
Kent
6/10/2014 04:00:29 am
Noise pollution can be equally annoying, as well, and I consider cell phone conversations to a big part of that.
norman
6/10/2014 05:02:21 am
AMEN!!
Janet
6/10/2014 01:56:09 pm
Pizza delivery to the Mt. Collins shelter??!! Wow... can you imagine the tip THAT delivery guy's gonna get???
norman
6/10/2014 05:26:07 am
SAME WITH THE POO POO!
Lynn Cogan
6/10/2014 05:34:51 am
Good morning Nathan: As I mentioned last week when my husband and I were up visiting for our three days/two nights, I *love* reading your posts. Thank you! We had an amazing time visiting and cannot wait until next year. We too had a squirrel encounter - and it was out on the deck behind the dining room. A squirrel climbed up Jack's pant leg. No, we were not eating, s/he was just being annoying. And it was kinda scary because we too can think of a few thousand other things to do besides getting rabies shots. I got some amazing pictures of the camp, but my favorite this year was the head-on shot of me, Buck and you when we were visiting the llamas. Let me know, I will send you the picture or can send you to my facebook site. Take care up there and as always, thanks to all the crew. It wouldn't be the same without your all and the wonderful care everyone takes of our favorite place in the clouds. Lynn.
lynn schmerber
6/10/2014 01:43:03 pm
There is a really good spot to view that rolling carpet of fireflies. I don't want the tourist to spoil it because it is off trail but easily accessible. 1/2 hr hard hike from laurel falls parking. No people, no rangers, quiet and beauty. I will probably regret this because someone who leaves trace will probably find it. Study a good park topo map and figure it out . I have never had company here and I leave no trace. Comments are closed.
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LeConte LodgeWelcome to the official blog of LeConte Lodge. We hope you find the information provided here both helpful and enjoyable. Thank you for visiting the site, and we hope to see you on the mountain! Archives
January 2025
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