May 16, 2024

Good Morning,

Clouds are thick and creeks are high this Thursday atop Mt. LeConte. After receiving just under 1.5” of rainfall yesterday, the ground is a slippery slog in numerous places. Today is offering a nice break from all the wet weather though, and hopefully those folks dwelling at the summit today catch a few rays of sunshine. Tomorrow morning will offer day hikers who are quick on their feet a chance to scurry up and down the mountain before storms and precip return. The skies are expected to come alive by lunchtime Friday, persisting through the weekend. So let’s all enjoy the opportunity of staying dry today before we all refamiliarize ourselves with jackets, boots, and umbrellas for another extended period.

A mountain top shrouded in fog has a unique way of making certain characteristics stand out that might not otherwise be noticed when basking in full sun or blanketed in snow. The same effect can be recognized after a recent rain, as some surfaces glisten in a manner that suddenly catches one’s eye. Even to those folks who have scaled this mountain hundreds of times and can instantly pick out the faintest changes (like a tree fell or a boulder moved), there is always something new and magical to behold. Sometimes one might even start imagining things in the mist. That rock I stepped on is shaped strangely like my home state…did that chattering squirrel just wink at me?…am I the only one who thinks that tree stump resembles a dog? But a taste of things we can ponder when immersed in the woods and detached from our devices.

Have a great day.