 Monkshood It is nice to look out the window and see a splash of color on these rainy, grey days. The monkshood flowers are looking spectacular. It is interesting how nature works, this flower that is so delicate and beautiful is extremely poisonous. The grey mornings are an excellent backdrop for the rich purple bloom. Monkshood is also know as wolfsbane. It is noted that the Romans used monkshood to poison wells, in order to eradicate wolves. That is how the name wolfsbane came about. It is still extremely wet up top. We received another half an inch of rain yesterday. The temperatures are hovering in the upper 50s to lower 60s. Please make sure to bring some sort of rain gear if you are hiking up the mountain. I have seen some wet and cold hikers over the past week. 
doug
7/14/2012 02:27:09 am
very nice photo, it's better than the one in my Smokies flower guidebook; if people out hiking would just perepare a bit more thoroughly they wouldn't wind up as wet and cold I think; I guess it comes with experience;
Juanita
7/14/2012 03:34:50 am
Beautiful flower,i have never heard of it.
Betty
7/14/2012 11:09:05 am
Beautiful flower and interesting story. Was not aware it was poisonous. Rule #1 in all the hiking guides--take rain gear! Some learn the hard way
Karen
7/14/2012 12:04:27 pm
When you say "rain gear", do you mean that waterproof rain pants are also necessary? We have waterproof rain jackets and waterproof boots, and brimmed waterproof hats, and always wear quick dry pants and wicking shirts. Are waterproof rain pants recommended in the summer? Also, I always pack dry clothes in a 2 gallon zip lock bag inside my day pack. All my hikes up LeConte have been dry, but eventually we will see rain.
Gina
7/14/2012 02:18:20 pm
Finally got some sun this afternoon on the east side of the smokies, hope ya'll got some up there to
doug
7/15/2012 03:55:06 am
just to add to Karen's comments: to me, rain gear, in whatever combination one prefers, is one of the most important elements of one's hikes; over the years I've found that I could trim out a lot of unnecessary items; my rain pants serve more than just one function, for instance; I think that most of the folks that hike to the lodge have a good idea of what they need to carry;
Marcia
7/15/2012 04:41:22 am
Did a day hike yesterday up Trillium and down Bullhead. We did get rained on but a poncho was sufficient. So thankful for the hospitality we received when we reached the lodge. Looking forward to my overnight stay in September.
Pete
7/22/2012 03:48:19 am
Had a great hike up Alum Bluff trail with my college-age grand daughter on July 14. Hit the trail at 7:20am (lucked out ... no rain going up or down). In July 1982 her Mom and I hiked up when my daughter was 12 years old; my grand daughter wanted to follow her Mom's steps. LeConte Lodge is a very special place. Thanks for all you good people do to keep it functioning well. 9/18/2012 12:06:45 am
These herbaceous perennial plants are chiefly natives of the mountainous parts of the northern hemisphere, growing in moisture retentive but well draining soils on mountain meadows. Thanks. Comments are closed.
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LeConte LodgeWelcome to the official blog of LeConte Lodge. We hope you find the information provided here both helpful and enjoyable. Thank you for visiting the site, and we hope to see you on the mountain! Archives
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