May 20, 2020

Good Morning,

The mountain has seen a substantial amount of water over the last couple days. We tallied another 2.05” of rainfall, most of which fell in the front half of the day. Temps continue to hang out in the 40s. Winds once again dominated the twilight hours. So far today the rains seem to be staying to the East, often times visible from our position here at the lodge. Better for the guests hiking and the llamas packing if it stays that way. Visibility is clear beneath the cloud base but that window is shrinking, and current temps remain mild.

The NPS has announced a few changes taking place to their phased reopening process, specifically as it relates to Mt. LeConte, with the permissible use of Alum Cave beginning this Saturday. Since it’s a holiday weekend, combined with folks incredibly eager to get outside and revisit one of the park’s most popular trails, expect huge crowds. Plan accordingly for parking and safe social distancing. Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail will also reopen, so visitors will have access to the shorter version of Trillium Gap Trail. That means this weekend all trails accessing the lodge will be open, a few not without hazards and obstructions.

Some new items lodge enthusiasts can look forward to, some neat new stickers. Perfect for your water bottle, notebook, file cabinet, whatever suits your fancy. These wood stickers are made by the folks at Dust City, whose new mini stickers are all the rage. Spice up your life with some of this sweet LeConte swag!