 Good Afternoon! My apologies for the delay in posting...JP is taking a few days off therefore this update comes to you from the reservation office in the valley. Overnight snowfall High On LeConte was 8 inches and left a beautiful scene to share with the sun glistening from above. High and low temps were reported at 11 and 42 degrees...not bad for January!
Josh
1/18/2013 07:52:19 am
Any ice? Or mostly snow?
Debi
1/18/2013 08:16:19 am
What a difference a few days make. Pretty picture!
Galen
1/18/2013 12:29:37 pm
Hi Debi,
Debi
1/19/2013 11:59:32 am
Galen, we are in Ludington, Michigan. About a hour north of Muskegon right on Lake Michigan. I am really unfamiliar with the lower part of the west side. I know there is Sleeping Bear dunes, which is a hour in a half north from me. I hear its beautiful. We also, have one of the best state parks in Michigan in Ludington. Alot of hiking. You won't get near the elevation here. We do have some hills and beautiful views on the west side of Michigan and Lake Michigan is beautiful. We are considered the 3 most tourist destination in Michigan if you go to Pure Michigan. 1st is Mackinaw, 2nd is Traverse City and 3rd is beautiful Ludington Michigan. Just alot of beautiful views on the Lake shore. I would not live anyplace else, even though its cold in the winter I sure do love it here and our small community. And I must mention out Badger ship that sails into port in the summer time. Last of the coal driven ferries that there trying to out do the coal ash into the lake. Just a beautiful town in the summer time.
Rob
1/20/2013 10:12:10 am
Galen,
Audie
1/18/2013 08:22:56 am
Who took the photo???
Kent
1/18/2013 11:26:13 am
Mmmmm reminds me of white frosting on a cake. (Now I'm hungry.)
sheldon
1/18/2013 11:52:41 am
At last check, 441 was closed. Have they opened it up to New Found Gap lot?
Bryant
1/18/2013 12:01:43 pm
I was just looking into the 441. Last word on the net reports that they are reviewing the whole TN section as well. Looks like I'd be doing Rainbow Falls trail head.
doug ga
1/18/2013 12:20:22 pm
Tony thanks for refocusing attention back to what this blog is about. Anybody new to this site that wants to know JP`s heart just look at last years posts. Gave JP a ride last year from Sugarland to NOC was a great young man and a pleasure to meet!
Paul B
1/18/2013 01:36:50 pm
I noticed several Ohioians on the recent postings. Wondering if anyone doing the Winter Hike at Hocking Hills Saturday. I was considering but concerned that 5000+ people over a soft wet trail would make it more of a "mud march".
David C.
1/19/2013 01:41:46 am
I have been reading the daily posts for about a year and have been hiking in the park for over 25 years. The last few years my son and I have been doing a little backpacking. I enjoy reading the comments. You all seem to be a good group. I thought I would share divine inspiration. This is open to anyone who listens. God created us so that he could enter into his own creation. He enters into his creation through us when we love. Love is the presence of God on earth, so get out there and hike carrying love with you. Oh, don't forget to take it to work too!
Steve D
1/19/2013 02:04:54 am
I spoke to the Sugarlands Visitors Center Saturday morning, 441S is not open to Newfound Gap, Bryant was correct, they plan to review the Tenn side as well next week. The road to the Rainbow Falls trailhead is only open to where the science center is right now, but they hope to get it open all the way to the trailhead by this afternoon. Right now I plan to hike the Rainbow Falls trail up to Mt LeConte on Sunday, and will give a report on conditions when I get back. It will be quite different than last Sunday when I hiked the Alum Cave trail to LeConte in shorts. The wonderful thing about that mountain is that it is incredibly beautiful under any weather conditions! Have a great day all!
Shane S Ohio
1/19/2013 06:52:13 am
Thanks for the valuable info. Keep it coming and enjoy your hike Sunday. Be Safe
Marilyn
1/19/2013 09:27:12 am
Galen: Indiana has several state parks ..you might google Indiana State Parks and see if any strike your fancy. I usually go mostly central and southern Indiana but I think there are one or two up north.
Galen
1/20/2013 03:04:17 am
Thanks Marilyn,
Mike
1/19/2013 09:42:05 am
US441 from Sugarlands to Newfound Gap is open now. This is info from the tweet site as of about 5:15pm.
Ed
1/19/2013 10:14:12 am
I passed JP coming down on my way up on the 17th. I ended up being the only person on the mountain Thursday night. Watching the storm blow in was quite an experience.
Been there several times Ed. Being the only person on the mountain is a very unique experience. Nobody I know around the Chattanooga area wants to be a part of the 'experience'. A wonderfful experience it is for those of us who 'know'. It is majic, f
1/20/2013 05:57:44 am
Ed
1/20/2013 12:47:04 pm
I've always dreamed about waking up at the shelter and making first tracks in the new snow. Wasn't really sure until I was on my way down that I had been the only person on the mountain. An experience that is unique and memorable.
doug y
1/20/2013 02:07:25 am
Today's photo is one of the best composed shots I've seen in a while, but that's only my personal opinion and I have no established credentials as a photograph critic. Very nice angle and compostion nonetheless. The landslide on 441 will prove to be problematic perhaps and I hope they don't close the Tennessee side of it; I see no reason to do that, but I don't make those decisions there. I like the idea of posting comments about encounters with bears in the Park, and I have ploenty of them. One in particular was in the 80's on a backcountry overnight hike, from Clingman's Dome down through the vally ending at the Huskey Gap trailhead. During that single night at the campsite the three of us were lying on top of our sleeping bags as it was July and rather hot. I woke to see a mama bear not five feet from me ! She was staring directly at me and I remained as still as my rapidly beating heart would allow. I feared that even blinking my eyes would propel her into action, and I couldn't determine what exactly that might be. She could run off or charge right at me, in which case I would have had to go into a tucked position, which might or might not have prevented injury to me. Thankfully, she chose to wander off into the night. Perhaps I smelled bad to her or she was simply browsing around, sniffing us out for a tidbit or something. At the time I suppose I could have shouted out at her but didn't. Was I lucky ? Perhaps. It's the closest I've ever been to a bear, and I was indeed scared. I learned over the following years to be less frightened of them, but more cautious, and I've had a few more bear encounters while hiking since that encounter. Maybe I can describe a couple of them later. I believe that the advice that is given for bear encounters is mostly very good and I think that the poeple who are dedicated hikers know how to take care of themselves. It never hurts, though, to review one's skills and knowledge. G'day
Galen
1/20/2013 03:15:09 am
Thanks Debi,
Tony Ga
1/20/2013 06:19:43 am
Here's how to deal with a bear:
Kent
1/20/2013 10:43:09 am
Ahhh, I've seen that video a couple of times. I might be a little hesitant to try that with a full-grown bear, though.
kelly
1/20/2013 11:41:02 pm
Love this video, found it a while back when searching for trail info. That is one determined little bear!
Pavel
1/20/2013 10:44:56 am
Greetings. I am Pavel Ilyich Kasserov from Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine. I live California two years. I like hike in Sierra Madres mountains many time. I move Tennessee, Oak Ridge back three month. Have hike little in Great Smokys but like hike there now. Nice trail, good scene, rugged. Fellow worker told me of lodging on big high moutain. Is how I found this site. How hiigh on mountain is lodge ? Is on top ? Is on other side ? I go there soon for look. I go there with fellow worker for stay when place open. Many thanks.
Debi
1/20/2013 08:22:37 pm
Pavel,
Pavel
1/21/2013 01:32:30 am
Many thanks to Debi. Did that and it was stated that lodge is at 6593 ft elevation, so lodge is on top of mountain. I like go there soon.
Jack
1/21/2013 02:57:56 am
Pavel: The information given for the lodge has sometimes listed its elevatiion as 6593, and that is the accepted elevation for the peak of Mt. Leconte, but the lodge sits below the highest point of Leconte at around 6360 ft elev. There's a fellow who posts comments here occasionally who was a professional civil engineer and surveyor and I believe he said that he and a friend ran a level survey from an established USGS benchmark up at Cliff Tops down to the lodge, and his data agreed essentially with the latter figure above, although, of course, it depends on where one is standing at the lodge grounds. The lodge management used to have 6360 listed on its home page, but I haven't checked that site, yet. I try to stay away from such discussions regarding the elevation at the lodge because there has been a little unnecessary conflict over that subject and I have no need for that. If you get to stay overnight there some day you'll surely enjoy the atmosphere. Good luck.
Wayne
1/21/2013 03:09:57 am
Pavel, Jack: I just checked two sites for Leconte Lodge. the first stated that the lodge was "around 6400 ft elevation", then down at the bottom another sentence listed the lodge as "being on the top of Mt. Leconte". So right there was an inconsistency. I suppose it all depends on who is posting the information and apparently they don't give it a lot of thought, so a person has to search through several sites and decide on which one(s) are the most accurate. The crew who work there are the ones I'd believe other than, say, an actual survey. The second link in my search a few minutes ago listed an elevation as 6360, the one that I find most common. To me, it really doesn't matter much concerning the right elevation, what's important is enjoying the lodge which I have done several times. Comments are closed.
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LeConte LodgeWelcome to the official blog of LeConte Lodge. We hope you find the information provided here both helpful and enjoyable. Thank you for visiting the site, and we hope to see you on the mountain! Archives
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