October 31, 2021

Good Morning,

Happy Halloween to all on this fittingly dark and dreary Sunday. While the rain showers linger and dense clouds hold tight, there will be an eerie appearance to the Smokies’ upper elevations much of today. Later on a partial clearing is expected across the region, but as we know all to well, Mt. LeConte could be the last to bid farewell to the grey veil. Temps are sticking close to the freezing mark to start, but we could creep up into the lower 40s by this afternoon. Winds won’t quite be howling like a wolf today, but their presence could make the hairs on the back of one’s neck stand up, gusting upwards of 25mph and adding an extra chill to the air. Once we roll into the new week, and new month, conditions for our mountain should be rather pleasant for a few days, offering up sunshine and slightly better temperatures.

Trails will continue to be wet and slick today until the sun can assist with the drying out process. So step smartly as you traverse the mountain today, possibly navigating some new obstructions from our recent storm. The NPS has seen fit to temporarily close the Bull Head Trail due to the beating it took this week. There is no timetable for when it will be addressed and deemed safe for travel. So visitors looking to access the lodge from Cherokee Orchard will be relegated to using Rainbow Falls or Trillium Gap further up along the Roaring Fork.

​Have a great end to the month.