No Airlift

3/15/2011

We awoke this morning to a half inch of fresh snow. The low last night was 31 with a high yesterday of 40. The weather cleared off yesterday, but not in time to fly. We are hoping to fly tomorrow.

The crew was busy scrubbing and mopping yesterday. The lodge is looking better each day. I think we will be ready for guests on Monday.

Wanda

3/15/2011 01:46:59 am

Good luck on "fly day". Weather has cleared here in Chattanooga----so hopefully your will have a good day to fly.
Great to see you back and to meet everyone.
I saw my opthalmologist (eye) doctor yesterday & we talked about LeConte. He said he was there last October when it snowed 3 inches. He & his wife are probably hiking up again this year.

Guardian

3/15/2011 01:49:04 am

GSMNP CELL TOWER ALERT: Many of you may be aware of the attempt to construct three cellular telephone towers within the GSMNP in 2004. The proposal was for the towers to be located within proximity of 441 because of the lack of signal available. Fortunately, that proposal was met with great opposition and was quickly withdrawn. Unfortunately, plans to erect cell towers within the GSMNP are again surfacing. As a telcom professional I am privy to information specific to these plans, which at this point have not yet been made public. However, I am also an outdoors person who is environmentally conscious, and who has a great love for the Smokies. Anyone who shares my interest in preserving the GSMNP from cell towers should become actively involved immediately. The Telecommunications Act of 1996 does allow for cell towers to be constructed and located on federal land, including national parks. In fact, at least 30 national parks now have cell towers located within their boundaries. Additional provisions have been put in place since 9/11/2001 that makes this possibility an even more likely reality. I am posting this information on this blog because THE CURRENT PLAN IS FOR ONE TOWER TO BE SITUATED ON MT LECONTE! Logistically, Mt LeConte is very favorable for the current plan due to the line-of-sight coverage, elevation and helicopter landing pad. I will disseminate more information as it becomes available.

Audie Craig

3/15/2011 02:20:15 am

Guardian, Have you posted this info on any other sites. You may want to try GoSmokies.com or even facebook. There is several Smoky Mountians pages on facebook with a lot of followers. Friends of the Smokies has a page on there.

Jim

3/15/2011 02:37:38 am

This is a wilderness area.I hope the cell tower will not be placed anywhere in the park. You should accept a certain amount of risk when going into an area like this. To be out of touch is a reward in itself.

LB in GA

3/15/2011 03:21:44 am

Amen, Jim!

And now for the breaking news: We have a trip up planned for 4/1-4/6/11. Yay! We'll be staying in a family cabin since we don't have reservations for the Lodge. We may try Alum (up & down) one of the days if we feel froggy. At the very least, we'll stop in and say "hi" if we summit the mount.

If not, we'll be up again very soon. Of that, I am sure! :D

Stay warm and take care,
LB in GA

Jenny

3/15/2011 03:34:31 am

How should we get involved in trying to stop this before it gets off the ground (literally)? Any ideas who we should contact? Has anyone started a petition?

Michael

3/15/2011 03:48:48 am

Guardian -- How would they run power to the tower? I'm assuming it would require some sort of energy supply.

Guardian

3/15/2011 04:24:13 am

Good question Michael. 100% solar power technology is now in use by T-Mobile... Care to guess who the largest wireless carrier in NE TN is?
http://www.intomobile.com/2010/09/24/t-mobile-usa-solar-powered-cell-tower/

Rebecca

3/15/2011 05:07:11 am

About Cell towers. The last time I was on top all you could hear on the porch of the lodge and surrounding it was "CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW"! After a terrific climb on mostly quiet trails you have people yelling on their cell phones. That is what you want to get away from. Maybe it should be a cell free zone up top.

Eric

3/15/2011 05:19:25 am

We've got to have one very loud unified voice about cell towers in the park. If we don't what's next? A wind farm?

mary ann

3/15/2011 05:34:03 am

nothing is sacred anymore. there is a cell phone tower @ old faithful in yellowstone. you can google it. i was shocked when i saw it.

Michael

3/15/2011 06:42:03 am

Well, at least they're using renewable energy. LOL! That's somewhat "green," right???

I might be open to this if it could be VERY well camoflauged. After all, there could be some very good safety reasons for expanding cell service. HOWEVER, if it is plainly visible or disruptive to wildlife in ANY way -- there is no place for it in the park.

Michael

3/15/2011 06:44:45 am

Just followed Guardian's link - I would say that is an example of "not" well-camoflauged :)

jay

3/15/2011 07:15:17 am

As Jim said "This is a wilderness area" and I would add not a "nanny area". Just say "NO" to cell towers.

Ed Anger

3/15/2011 07:27:30 am

I'm pig bitin' mad about cell towers in the Smoky Mountains. There aint no reason to go and put up something in these here mountians just so somebody can talk on a telephone. It's a national dad-gum park for crying out loud. If you want to talk on the telephone then stay in Gatlinburg or Cherokee and swap your backpack for a leather cell phone pouch with tassels and feathers on it at one of them gift shops along the side of the road. So there!

Ken

3/15/2011 07:58:44 am

What are trail conditions? We are headed out toward Charlies Bunion with a group on Thursday, know what we can expect?

Amy

3/15/2011 08:09:47 am

I think everyone should relax. I find it difficult to believe that our NP system would permit cell towers. Let's not get too excited.

Ellis

3/15/2011 08:19:09 am

Do not deceive yourself Amy. We'd all like to think the land we collectively own is safe. But it is not-- not safe from oil or gas drilling, logging, and certainly not safe from cell towers. But we do have a voice. But as Eric pointed out in his post, the only question is how loud will our voice be?

william

3/15/2011 08:40:41 am

Amen Ellis. I'm 77 years old and I've seen many of these type situation in my long history on this earth, some political and some social. The squeaky wheel always gets the grease.

sandee link

3/15/2011 08:46:19 am

well the worst thing about me is that I'm always seeing both sides...while I agree with the majority of the board that towers ruin the wilderness and love of peace and quiet....I can also understand the importance of needing help to someone in case of an emergency! I'm afraid I'm riding the fence on this one, both sides to this arguement have great points to consider!

Wild Bill Jones

3/15/2011 09:20:01 am

Be prepared in where you are going, what you are doing, and what you may encounter. Beyond that improvise, adapt and overcome. Otherwise stick to the quiet walkways or another more controlled environment.

Logan

3/15/2011 09:23:26 am

Met a group on the trail last week that had two people carrying on two different conversations on their cell phones. Guess what??? Neither of those calls were emergencies. I vote for no towers.

Renee Ryan

3/15/2011 10:16:06 am

My husband and I both love the Smoky Mountains and we visit them at least once a year.I would not like it if they were to built a cell tower in the Smokies.That is a wilderness area and there are some things you should be prepared to give up when you enter it.It is so annoying to come across someone on the hiking trail who's gabbing away on a cell phone,if you need to do that then my advice is to stay in town.Part of the experience of heading out into the woods is understanding that there are always risks involved.Let's keep our beloved Smoky Mountains cell tower free.

kelly

3/15/2011 10:47:33 am

No towers! I love the Smokies and the quietness they offer more than my cell phone. It's one of a few places left where we can truly enjoy nature on it's terms.

Rebecca

3/15/2011 01:37:15 pm

Hope the weather is better for airlift tommorrow. Ready to see my hubby -

Hawkeye Wood

3/19/2011 05:21:08 am

Unprepared visitors will feel "FALSE SECURITY" having cell phone access if this is permitted. They will stumble anywhere in the backcountry, unprepared and do whatever stupid idea they please. Wearing sandals and flip flops, probably no pack, no water, no food... but armed with a phone!

If they get into trouble for not being prepared guarantee you they will call 911 or call the Park Service or anyone else bail their sorry rears out.

Bottom line: No place for cell phones in the backcountry. Park Service should not have to babysit anyone doing something ignorant and running their mouth off about it over cell signal.

I am an avid hiker, packer and why do i go in the backcountry? To get away from the phones, technology. To absorb the wilderness experience. Not to hear a cell phone go off.

I suggest those that say phones will make it safer to consider wilderness, backcountry classes instead. If they are brainless a phone will not save them! Hypothermia can get them before they dial, much less get assistance to them.

Jane

3/19/2011 10:24:22 am

No, no , no!!!! For all the reasons above. There are areas now that you can pick up cell signals. They are not consistant, but they exist.

Beverly Holmes

3/19/2011 01:11:06 pm

I am only one person, but I am willing to do what I can to prevent a cell tower from being placed on Mt. LeConte. Please contact me if there is any way I can further be involved.

High On LeConte

3/19/2011 01:16:15 pm

Folks, please read the response from the Park Service in regards to a cell tower in the park. There are NO plans to put a cell tower on Mt. LeConte.
http://www.highonleconte.com/1/post/2011/03/cell-tower-response.html

tom harrington link

4/15/2011 09:47:53 pm

An official of the national park is wanting to talk to the person that wrote the blog about the possibility of a cell tour being constructed on Mt. LeConte in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Can and would you give me a telephone number and name so that the park official could call the author?
If the author prefers I can give him a phone number and name to call at the park service. Thank you, Tom Harrington

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