October 27, 2017

Good Afternoon,
     Who knew that temps in the 50's would feel like a heat wave?  We may not receive such a warm and delightfully sunny such as this the remainder of the season, so it's been a good day to catch up on outside tasks.  Yesterday's temperatures saw a huge change.  Our low back in the morning was 23 degrees, but once the sun finally came out it didn't long for the mountain to warm up.  Our high plateaued at 46, not dropping much below that all night.
     Late tonight is when the rain should move in, with temps still on the warm side.  Showers should last all day Saturday, with as much as 1-2" of rainfall expected in our neck of the woods, so dress accordingly for staying dry.  Late tomorrow night is when temps will descend enough for the precipitation to transition over to snow.  Accumulation there could be anything from a dusting to a couple of  inches.  Temps on the mountain could easily drop into the teens and single digits during this time.
     If road conditions become hazardous due to ice and snow, that might spell a temporary closure of US 441 some time this weekend, meaning Alum Cave would be inaccessible for guests hiking up the mountain.  At that point, Rainbow Falls and Trillium Gap Trails will be your next best options, as long as their access roads remain open.  The NPS is great about updating their road status twitter feed (twitter.com/smokiesroadsnps) as well their phone directory (865-436-1200, then 2, then 2 again for roads).  We'll also do our best to keep followers appraised of the situation from here and on our Facebook page.

     Now, breaking away from the weather topic, let's bring in a friendly face, one that's fuzzier than most.  Today, we're featuring one of our long time load luggers who is counting down the trips to his retirement from service this season.  Ladies and gentlemen, we present...CHESTER!  This llama has been reliable for us through the years, and has always been great around people, particularly for the wranglers.  Similarly to previously featured Andy, Chester isn't shy about nosing his way to the front of the line when it comes to tasty handouts.  Chester is unique in that he runs on a high metabolism, so despite all the grazing and chowing down of hay and llama feed, he's able to keep his lean figure while remaining strong for the lodge workload.  His color pattern is a white base with occasional patches of brown or black.  Chester has been great for the lodge, and his services will assuredly be missed after this season.  With many thanks, let's salute ole Chester!
​     Have a great rest of the day.