May 22, 2017

Greetings Readers,
​     Bit by bit we're easing our way back into the sunshine and out of the grasp of the clouds and mist that have dogged the mountain the last day and a half.  We welcomed another 1.2" of rain yesterday and early this morning, and precip chances still remain for the coming days.  It's also looking like daily temperatures will slide down into a milder range leading into the weekend.  Our high temp yesterday was 55, followed by a low of 48, so not much variance there.  Currently we're enjoying 58 degrees under a lightly veiled yellow orb.

     This past Sunday was an absolutely incredible day to be sharing in the LeConte experience.  We enjoyed hosting a great group of guests who were committed to taking command of the climb, despite the damp conditions facing them.  One among them most certainly deserves to be recognized.  We were afforded the opportunity to host an inspiring lady, known to her dear family and friends as "Granny," who conquered Mt. LeConte at the young age of 80 years old amid well deserved celebration.  It was a special moment for all of us present to a part of, and we can't wait to welcome her back for future birthdays!  Her love of family and friends, and appreciation of the lodge and mountain around her connect with the very pillars that make this venue so special.  Let's hear it for "Granny!"
     Attached to this wonderful occasion, was a post-sunset solo musical performance by Miss Ira Wolf.  Guests and crew were treated to an hour of melodic masterpiece by such a talented young singer and songwriter.  Music has always played a unique part in shaping the lodge experience over the years.  We've had the pleasure of hosting so many great, gifted folks with musical talents through the ages, several of which have been on crew, and we're so grateful to have witnessed another memorable evening of song.  If you'd like to replicate part of the experience, Ira's love for music can be heard and felt from her site, irawolfmusic.com.
     Slow as molasses, the skies separated after dinner service in just enough time to paint a colorful sunset of oranges and purples, with intermittent puffs of white and gray passing in between.  Everyone's just reward for ascending the mountain in the slog.  As guests assembled in the Dining Hall turned Concert Hall, chairs quietly began to fill, Ira's voice as light as a songbird spun sweet sounds, lamp light on tables and walls enhanced the ambiance and comfort, and time seemed to stop as the vivid colors of the waning sun failed to fade through the window panes we all faced.  The mood, the sights, and the sounds combined to make one of those magical Mt. LeConte moments where the setting simply takes hold of you.  It was as though you could feel the ghosts of lodge years past coming out of the walls and picture frames, pulling up a chair next to you in silence and nodding in approval of the occasion with a smile, thinking that this is what it's all about.  Family and strangers turned friends, coming together on a secluded mountain top, enveloped in the majesty of nature from the skies above to the rocks and grit beneath our feet, sharing in a common joy and passion.
     Thank YOU, as our guests and followers, for helping to provide these kinds of moments.  It is an honor and privilege to serve as the mechanism for these opportunities, and we so very much look forward to experiencing more with you.  If you've been here before, we hope you never lose inspiration for coming back, whether it's Granny's proof that age is just a number, or the desire to sit around a cozy heater in rocking chairs with strings in hand.  If Mt. LeConte is on your to-do list for the first time, we hope you can find your unique reason for calling this place special, and we encourage you to share it with us.
     Again, thank you.  This season is still just getting started, so let's continue to make some memories together! Have a fantastic start to the week.

All four Turks Cap Lilies (lilium superbum) are looking strong this season!