October 16, 2021

Good Morning,

We’ve crossed the halfway mark of October and are now under 40 days remaining in the season. Time is flying by, and before you know it, the crew will be rocketing down the mountain behind the last hosted overnight guests. But before then, autumn needs to run its course in the Smokies. Today, the unusually warm start to the month finally ends as cooler temps come roaring in. We’ve been receiving intermittent rain showers through the night, and they are expected to persist well into the afternoon. We’re currently in the lower 50s, which will pretty much be our high temp for the day. Temps will continue to drop as the day progresses, and by tonight the lodge should experience frigid temps at or below freezing. The sun returns for Sunday, but between a high in the lower 40s and strong winds, there will be little warmth to soak up at this elevation. Conditions will remain breezy throughout the weekend with gusts upwards of 30mph at times.

Every hiker with plans of visiting the mountain this weekend needs to evaluate every aspect of their gear. If you don’t have layers to keep you dry and warm, then you are already putting yourself and others at risk. Regardless of what the weather decides to do, that doesn’t change the health and safety protocols that have been in place by the NPS the last year and a half. There is no inside dining, lounging, or hot beverages for day hikers at the lodge. If you are soaking wet and cold because you failed to wear a rain jacket and adequate insulated layers, that is no one’s fault but your own. Ignorance is no excuse in this age of information wealth. There is no excuse for not knowing weather and trail conditions ahead of your hike, or not knowing our business’s current protocols that have been available on our website or by calling our reservations office. Thank you for taking the time to ensure a safe and enjoyable hike for yourself and those you impact.

​Have a great weekend.