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Oct. 20, 2014

10/20/2014

13 Comments

 
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Hello to you all.  After a beautiful sunset and sunrise, that golden orb is still our companion this afternoon on Mt. LeConte, though some clouds appear to be building in the valley.  Like Friday and Sunday, this is just about perfect October weather.  We tallied no precipitation with a high and low of 56-27.

In the midst of all this beautiful October weather, I'm going to flip back the calendar two years and recount what I recall from our bout with Superstorm Sandy in 2012.  October is our regular month for our first taste of flurries, though one year we saw some in September according to our weather chart in the office.  This year we've already seen a few lonely flurries flitting around the evening sky more than two weeks ago now.  Sometimes October snows accumulate but usually don't present too much of a problem for those prepared for the conditions.

In late October 2012, Superstorm Sandy proved a whole different breed of cat.  In my gut, I thought we'd get between eight inches and a foot of snow.  We ended up getting about three feet of snow piled on us.  It snowed for three days straight.  We always preach how different the weather can be in Gatlinburg versus LeConte.  Superstorm Sandy provided a textbook case.  The vertical mile of elevation between the summit of LeConte and Gatlinburg made all the difference, as the folks at the base of the mountain didn't even get flurries while we were buried in three feet of snow.

It's a rarity to hold on to guests for extra nights because of weather conditions.  Our policy is that if any trail to LeConte Lodge is open, we are open, during our regular operating season.  However, we did have a few guests stay an extra couple of nights until Rainbow Falls Trail became passable.

As crew, we still had work to do--guests to feed, dishes to wash, beds to make, bathrooms to clean, food to stock, etc.  I well remember the futility of shoveling snow to keep the walkways between the cabins, restrooms, office and dining room open.  We would shovel like crazy before breakfast and come out midmorning to find all the work we'd done erased by a white carpet.  The more we shoveled, the more the snow taunted us.  In the end, it looked like a World War I reenactment (without the mustard gas) with bundled-up people darting through the trenches between the cabins with snowdrifts piled up high.

I also remember the snow drifts building between the bottom of the stairs and the dining room.  The snow collected in that corner so high that Chris could walk on snowshoes directly from the ground to the roof of the dining room.  The weather finally broke on Oct. 31, Halloween.  When the gray veil finally lifted, the skies exulted in a shade of blue no word does justice to describe.  The sun was blinding.  Looking up the steps from the dining room, the contrast between the blanket of white, the blue sky and what remained of the vibrant red mountain ash berries was stunning.

The snow completely covered the railings down the stairs to the dining room.  One of my favorite non-scenery photos from that season on LeConte was the jack-o-lanterns on display on snow steps we made above the buried railings.  The candles wouldn't stay lit long because the wind still howled, but the orange light flickering on the snow was memorable.

That's certainly not the case today with our nice weather, but it's nice to go back and recall nearly the two-year anniversary of the biggest October snow on LeConte in decades.  It's even nicer that I don't have to carry 12 dozen eggs across a sheet of ice today.

Happy trails.
13 Comments
Missy
10/20/2014 08:29:19 am

Sure hope the good weather holds for our stay the first of the week. Would love see a starry night sky this trip.

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Patty Stevens
10/20/2014 08:30:48 am

I was one of those guest 2 years ago. Was truly an awesome experience, once in my lifetime. I would do it all over again in a heart beat. The crew did a fantastic job of keeping us warm/safe/our bellies full and entertained. Was funny when we drove out and into G'burg with snow on the car, we had folks looking at us as to where did we come from.

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Kent
10/20/2014 09:19:36 am

Would love to have tackling the unforgiving slopes of LeConte on this gorgeous morning, rather than spending eight hours in an ER exam room! (Of course, I'd probably rather be having a root canal than doing that, so...)

I hiked up to the lodge a little over a week after the “superstorm” hit – still about 15 inches of white stuff remaining. I can still see those those azure blue skies, that day, simply perfect conditions for a snow hike. Some of the images I snapped around the lodge were suitable for a Christmas card.

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Jarrett link
10/20/2014 09:32:21 am

I've seen the lodge in January during snow and it was covered. So I be snow shoveling was a fun activity.

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Deborah
10/20/2014 10:09:53 am

I was one of 12 hikers who ventured up on November 1st of that year. It was quite the challenge but also, one of the most profound experiences I've ever had! I've never been so proud to have my picture taken in front of the dining hall!

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Brian N bama
10/20/2014 10:49:50 am

I got to come up November 9, 2012 and there was still quiet a bit of snow on the ground....one of my best trips to the top.....

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Kathy T
10/20/2014 02:01:44 pm

The two of us hiked up that year also (November 6 & 7) & it also was one of our best experiences at LeConte Lodge. We've never seen anything so beautiful & the crew did an excellent job. We are glad we got to see the beautiful snow covered mountain top. It was spectacular but every time we hike up there it's spectacular!

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Debi
10/20/2014 11:33:24 pm

I always love to follow your weather on top of the mountain. It seems to match my Michigan weather. As you describe that storm, I am thinking to myself. Yep, just a typical day here. Lol But without the mountains. Its beautiful and I do put up with it. But I sure am glad it don't happen everyday. We only get it 6 months out of the year. Hehe!

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Kathy Montgomery
10/21/2014 01:15:41 am

My hubby and I were one of many that hiked up on Oct 30. It took us 12 hours to get to the lodge arriving at 10:30 that night. The crew was very helpful and about a mile before we got there, they came to help us out sweeping the trail. Got to the lodge and a wonderful warm supper was waiting for us. What a experience that was for the both of us that day. I now have a blown up picture in a huge frame in my home, which my daughter made for us that xmas, so now we can see the beautiful lodge everyday.. This was truly a gift from God we were able to experience the beauty of the mountain.

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Steve
10/21/2014 01:24:51 am

The warm supper part is awesome. When I do this kind of hiking I am usually spending the night in a 15-20 degree shelter. I can't imagine having a warm dinner waiting for me, AWESOME!

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Sharon S
10/21/2014 03:26:58 am

Wow! I can't imagine twelve hours on one trail. Out of curiosity, which trail did you take? The LeConte Lodge crew always seem so happy and relaxed...when really they are superheroes in disguise!

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Kathy Montgomery
10/22/2014 11:50:34 pm

Sharon we took the Trillum trail . Started snowing while at bottom and as we hiked up started snowing more. Trails being snowed over slowed as down and by the time it got dark, little harder to nativagate. Used are flashlights and made it up. Was so happy to see the crew . We had told two other guys going up to let crew know , it probably would take us a little longer and thank God they let the crew know, cause they came looking for us about a mile before we got to lodge. Was truly a experience that I will always remember.

Sharon S
10/23/2014 12:19:52 am

So glad for a good outcome, Kathy. I'm certain it is a vividly beautiful memory.

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