March 24, 2023

Good Afternoon

So about that tug-of-war between winter and spring on the mountain…

The forecast has a doozy dialed up for us this weekend. Beginning this evening and lasting until Saturday night, our region is under a High Wind Watch. Air out of the south will be charging hard over the mountains, bringing not only unseasonably warm temps but roaring wind speeds. Gusts are expected to have a strong presence here over the next 72 hours, with the crescendo coming sometime Saturday at possible wind speeds of 65mph. Friday will start sunny and delightful with highs nearing the 60s (nearly a 70° swing in a few days when factoring in windchill!), but rain and thunderstorms will roll into town overnight and rock the Smokies early Saturday. It’s not out of the realm of possibility that hazardous conditions across the upper elevations cause a temporary closure of some park roads, so have your plan Bs and Cs already mapped out if you have an overnight reservation. By Saturday evening the skies should improve giving way to a beautiful back half of the weekend. Come dressed head to toe for wind and rain, and dry clothes to change into. There may not be a chance of snow this weekend (amen!), but hypothermia is always lurking around the unprepared hiker.

Speaking of clothes, we need to unveil this season’s exclusive “I Hiked It” design! We historically bust it out of the freshly flown boxes on Opening Day, but recent circumstances dictated that our focus be on not turning into popsicles, and most importantly serving our on-site guests. It’s of course the in-person experience that made the lodge such a famous destination after all, and we thank those rabid enthusiasts who follow us virtually for your patience and understanding. Without further delay, here’s a swag-tastic nod to season #99 atop East Tennessee’s gem!

Have a great day.