Last Weekend of 2014 Season

11/22/2014

Our last weekend on the mountain has started out picture worthy. Chris is in the kitchen flipping his last pancakes. Tim is on his way up the mountain to finish out the season. I told Chris he would always have a job in one of the many pancake houses around town. He certainly knows how to make pancakes. He decided he did not want to pursue that line of work. Instead we are staying around the Gatlinburg/ Knoxville area and dabbling in the specialty food market and furniture business. In the spirit of keeping the blog about this beautiful mountain, that is all I will say. In this day and age of information being at our fingertips, I am sure you will be able to find us.

The trails are still very icy. Many of our guests said they would have turned around had it not been for the ice traction they had for their boots. Please, make sure you are prepared. The high did reach 34 yesterday, but the low was 21. The ice has not had a chance to melt. Please be careful out there and make sure you drink plenty of water. Dehydration can happen in the colder months as well.

One last note, please play nice on the comment section. There are only a couple of rules. 1.) keep the comments about the lodge, mountain, and trails. 2.) Be respectful of others. 3. ) Just ignore the trolls, when they are trolls. Our filters do not let us block anyone or make you fill out a form of any kind. Remember, some comments may be for those of us on the mountain and you may not understand them, but we do. Please, be kind, and keep you comments on point. Happy Hiking and hope to see you at the top.

46 Comments

Melissa

11/22/2014 12:06:03 am

good luck in your new endeavors!

doug y link

11/22/2014 12:09:22 am

The Spirit of the Mountain ! All who tread there become a part of it. Allyson, Chris, and Nathan, you each will leave some of your spirit there. Mourn not over departing, but reflect and rejoice in that you existed there. Good job each of you !

Mary Jane McGhee

11/22/2014 12:10:54 am

good luck in whatever you do. You have got to be special people ! Have enjoyed reading your post ,since I have been on FB .

Jackie Gabriel

11/22/2014 12:38:09 am

Thank you for all you do for us up there. Have a safe & blessed new year. Happy Thanksgiving, Merry Christmas, & Happy New Year! :)

Dawn

11/22/2014 01:27:04 am

God's Speed! Thank you for my beautiful first experience on the mountain top this past August. May you continue to create sweet memories wherever the trail takes you.

Mark "Bald Eagle' Albrecht

11/22/2014 01:35:08 am

The BEST trail to go up and DOWN is BULL HEAD !!! the Top 1/2 m is where ice is ! Rest is GREAT to go with out any thing on boots!
Was there 11-21-14 Friday ! DO NOT GO RAINBOW!!! Ever!

phillip

11/22/2014 03:16:34 am

What is it about the Rainbow Falls trail that would make it completely undesirable to follow !? On what facts, not subjective opinion, do you base your advice on ?

Lee

11/22/2014 01:39:42 am

Thanks so much for this website and all of the time you dedicate to posting information about Leconte and its people. Although I have hiked up only once due to various physical restrictions, thanks to my laptop I am there everyday. In the not to distant future I hope to be able to hike up and say THANK YOU in person.

Linette T

11/22/2014 01:57:39 am

Thanks for all the amazing posts and pictures! End of the season is always emotional for me and I'm not up there week after week so I can't even imagine how you guys feels. I am curious- has this fall been colder and snowier/icyer than average?

Bill E

11/22/2014 02:13:02 am

Chris & Allyson... I'll miss your posts, pictures, and your hospitality. (I've had the pleasure of staying at the lodge annually since 1999). Best wishes to both of you... we'll see you around Gatlinburg. Happy Trails!!!

Kent

11/22/2014 02:43:06 am

Perhaps it's time Stokely Hospitality Enterprises updated the blog platform. Jenny B was quite correct in pointing out things will only get worse in the off season. Unique voices like JP bring trolls out of the woodwork. Just my two cents.

Best of luck in your future endeavors Allyson, Chris, and Nathan! Your footprints will remain on this magnificent summit!

11/22/2014 03:21:00 am

I may be wrong, but personally I feel that the "trolls" or detractors, will emerge regardless of who is on the mountain or controlling the blog site comments. Ignoring them has been, and always will be, the best course of action. Jenny B is a strong voice here, but as you say, it is Stokely H. Enterprises who is responsible for monitoring things.

RJnLA

11/22/2014 03:33:49 am

Kent,so true it gets downright ugly at times in the off season. However the advice Allyson gave works very well. IGNORE THE TROLLS and soon they go away when they get on reply. I've said this all along. As we learned yesterday, not all comments that are perceived to be "phony" turn out to be. It can really be a sincere response. Most times it is very obvious when it is someone fishing for a reply and just ignored.

Jenny B. link

11/22/2014 04:40:23 am

I know we all want to focus on the wonders of Mt. LeConte and have a good feeling--anyone who follows my blog knows that I truly love that place. So I hope and expect most people will skip over this, but I need to say something here. RJnLA, I appreciate your input but I must respectfully disagree. We did not learn yesterday that the phony comments were sincere. We are dealing with a few folks, a very small percentage of visitors to this blog, who like to put up insincere comments. If you read yesterday's posts carefully, you will see that. You'll see that someone impersonated me, and you'll see that one individual appears to have made a false statement about Doug Y. I have no desire to police this site but I have spoken up when I've seen garbage. Trolls aren't going to be "very obvious," as you describe it..

11/22/2014 07:03:28 am

RJnLA, ignoring trolls is usually the best policy, but it's not always easy to fight the urge when things get out of hand. Why not just eliminate the problem? The system they're using here is pretty outdated, in my opinion.

P.S. Does anybody else see something peculiar when the click on the link for the forums?

J LeClair

11/22/2014 04:09:14 am

I spent almost the entire 1977 season up on LeConte (not as crew, but as a type of barnacle) and I learn how addicting it is. The last time I went up was in 1978 and have missed it ever since. I would have liked to have met the crew that is ending their stint; you all seem so nice and have an understanding of the responsibility you have of hosting for a very special place. It doesn't take long to in your soul.

Good luck on what ever you decide what to do, but remember, a part of you will always remain on the mountain. God's speed.

tomk in SC

11/22/2014 04:44:26 am

How do you manage to spend that much time up there? I'd love to find some way to do that, even if it required some stealth. I suppose one could live on LeConte lunches, coffee and hot chocolate, but camping would be something of a challenge. A patch of ground wouldn't be impossible to find, but bears and rangers might create complications. What's your secret?

Meg W.

11/22/2014 05:45:56 am

Once you are there, crew or not, it stays with you. I was there (as crew) in '87 & '07 and even though I am far away from LeConte.. it is always in my psyche and always feel the want to go back. Hopefully, I can one of these days ; )

Ken scmitt

11/22/2014 04:38:36 am

Thank you for all of your daily posts. Good luck in all of you future endeavors.

cgif (short for Curt Gifford)

11/22/2014 04:42:06 am

I love everything about that place
yes i try to keep it real
let us all be friends
wish I was there now

Marilyn

11/22/2014 04:43:48 am

JennyB...I don't know who you were referring to as a "troll" as you were not specific and so I take umbrage at your comment and want to set the record straight. I have hiked LeConte since 1975 and been staying up there once a year since 1995..yes, I'm one of the ones who was grandfathered in. And my daughter DID crew in 96 with Henry so that is why I made the comment that I was glad to see he was still around. The year she crewed I was down there every month from opening to closing to pick her up on her days off the mountain. I don't profess to be an expert on hiking or the mountain.. I just simply enjoy them and the magic that emits from them. So if I were one of the trolls you mentioned I just wanted to state my position. While I read the blog every day I rarely comment and one of the reasons is because too many people read too much into what is said.

11/22/2014 04:58:32 am

Marilyn, I am sorry that you took my "war against the trolls" as an attack on the many, many people who have had happy experiences on LeConte. I have climbed LeConte myself countless times, mainly off-trail, rockhopping up the streams. You probably haven't read my book, "The Twelve Streams of LeConte," about a person who climbs the mountain by each of the streams that drain its slopes. I have set myself up here to be an unpopular person because I point things out that are unpleasant and most people want to pretend don't exist. I refuse to allow this mountain that I love come under these snide comments. It becomes real obvious in the winter but it exists other times as well.

11/22/2014 05:22:16 am

Again, you use this site to brag about yourself !

11/22/2014 05:31:51 am

I believe you said that your book could be purchased through Amazon; is that correct because I want a copy. Maybe someday if we ever meet at the lodge you can autograph a copy for me. You and I would have plenty to discuss regarding the lodge and its connections with not only the mountain, but the multitudes who traverse it by whatever routes they select. This intertwined relationship should always be remembered and respected. G'day

Steve

11/22/2014 05:42:56 am

This gets ridiculous. I love this site and the Smokies. What makes you the ruler here?? Others may have more experience than you and just don't choose to brag about it. Sorry to post, but this gets old.

11/22/2014 04:46:45 am

"It doesn't take long to get in your soul"
"Good luck on whatever you decide to do"

Proof read, then click.

Shane S

11/22/2014 05:18:01 am

Thanks for all you have done for this great place over the years. Good luck in the future. Leaving the comments about your future brief is a very classy move. Some of the "regulars" here use this site to promote their websites, blogs, books, etc and that is not why I visit this site.

11/22/2014 05:26:05 am

I don't know of any "regulars" who use this site to promote their own and merely making a reference to another site does not constitute a promotion of it. Well, it looks like once again this site is becoming a podium for braggarts and false accusers. So sad. Deplorable.

11/22/2014 05:47:01 am

I have become a true object of hatred.It seems I am now just a commercial promoter of my book. Funny how that works. Okay, I can withstand these blasts of hostility.

11/22/2014 05:26:09 am

tomk in SC

It was a little different back then and I had permission. I knew some staff and just went up and down the mountain many times and was able to stay once and a while. This is something that could never happen now.

I remember bears all over and we used to use Little Duck Hawk. That's how long ago it was.

It is amazing to me how much time has gone by, but it seems like just yesterday. I don't know if it is the altitude or attitude, but it is a very special place. I have hiked much higher, but never better.

11/22/2014 05:51:18 am

I have been over Little Duck Hawk many times, backwards and forwards, before it was banned. Okay, shoot away!

Barbara Grove

11/22/2014 08:38:42 am

Didnt know little duck hawk was banned - is it still? Is it because of the falcons?

11/22/2014 05:54:36 am

Little Duck Hawk, went down it, never up... but so cool. Glad it is safe now for the Peregrine Falcon's that it's named after.

Andy

11/22/2014 06:20:04 am

Any trail recommendations for a family with two young kids (6 and 9) hiking up Monday?

Thanks!

FlAndy

11/22/2014 07:29:58 am

I would recommend Alum, my kids were about that age when we hiked to the lodge for the first time using alum. Since then they have hiked to the lodge using several of the other trails (and alum also) and they always say alum is their favorite. I have been up and didn't all of the trails and also like alum the best. The only thing I like more about some of the other trails is that they are less crowded - but that's not a factor right now. I think that alum is good for kids because it has a lot of different types of scenery to interest them. Also having the cliffs to stop at midway breaks it up for kids. I know that it is literally the shortest route but I think the varied type of trail that alum has is one of the reasons my kids do the best on it. Just be sure you take the advice of the lodge and others on here and have traction devices for your whole group - I am partial to microspikes. We have tried several types and those work great for us and the kids. Hope that you and your family have a great trip, some of our best family memories have been made on LeConte.

11/22/2014 07:32:25 am

Typo: *** up and down all of the trails ***
(Sorry, iPhone autocorrect got me)

11/22/2014 08:27:51 am

If the trail has no ice and the kids will listen to you and stay close, Alum is a great trail. If it is icy near the top MON, a slip could be disastrous. There are opportunities to fall near the cabled sections near the top of Alum. I'd be inclined to switch to Rainbow or Bullhead because while there is a good chance you could fall on your face in the uppermost section, there aren't many places where one could fall a long distance. Someone recently reported Bullhead to be pretty good, and I have hiked Bullhead UP in the winter and love it.

Pat M. In Ohio

11/22/2014 07:45:44 am

Best wishes to you and Chris as you start your new ventures/adventures. I'm sorry I never got to meet you in person on the mountain but we visit Gatlinburg often so you never know!

boyd

11/22/2014 07:55:01 am

have been to the Lodge 7 years now (would have been 8 without the shutdown) and it has always been a uniformly pleasant experience and well run business, from the reservation office in Sevierville to the crew at the Lodge. Everything always as it should be, so somebody has obviously been doing a good job. best of luck in your future endeavors.

Beverly

11/22/2014 08:17:06 am

Just found your site a few weeks ago, but have enjoyed it very much. Good luck to Chris, Allison, and Nathan on your future work and travels. Thank you so much for your care and stewardship of the mountain. Your posts and pictures are a mini-vacation to a precious place that needs to be preserved, and any negative, hostile comments are a dis-respect to Mt Leconte itself.

Mary, Ohio

11/22/2014 09:25:37 am

I love to come to this site everyday and read the posts. I hiked up a couple of years ago with my family and spent the night for the first time. This site allows me to enjoy your corner of the world , a most beautiful place in the Smokies. Thank you for all you do for everyone who is able to hike to the mountain top and those of us who yearn to be there. Best wishes and many blessings to Chris, Allison and Nathan. You will all have many adventures ahead to enjoy. Happy Thanksgiving to the crew ! Enjoy your feast. I look forward to the pics.

Mike

11/22/2014 09:35:26 am

Best wishes to the crew of the 2014 season during their winter hiatus. I had the blessing of staying up top on April 14 and enjoyed every minute of it. Will return next year in April and September. God speed to you all and stay safe.

Sharon S

11/22/2014 10:45:11 am

Best wishes to Allyson, Chris, Matt, Jeannie, Pat, and Nathan as you reacquaint yourselves with electricity and indoor plumbing :). Thank you for your part in continuing the awesomeness that is LeConte Lodge. I look forward to meeting next year's crew when the weather is much warmer than it is now.

Kathy & Bobby

11/22/2014 01:09:03 pm

Allyson, Chris & Nathan---Thank you for your hospitality & all you have done at LeConte Lodge. You guys & the beautiful mountains are what keeps us all coming back year after year. It has been a pleasure to have met all of you & we wish you the best in your next adventures. THANKS & BEST TO ALL OF YOU!

Dar

11/22/2014 01:15:51 pm

I really enjoy coming here first thing in the morning to see how the weather is on the mountain and read what you folks have to say, we have been up 3 times and don't plan on stopping any time soon.

God bless you two in all you do, you will be missed.

Darwin

Bill

11/23/2014 08:02:00 pm

This is probably the best time of year to hike Leconte, the only time it isn't a circus crowd of people. I visit the GSMNP every year and haven't been to or through Gatlinburg in 20+ yrs. The BEST and only way to visit the Smokies is by boat. Don't know what I'm talking about? EXACTLY !!!!

Last Weekend of 2014 Season

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