Good morning!

Woke up to even more snow this morning! There's around 6 inches on the ground at the moment, which means we have received 2 inches this morning! It is still coming down as we speak, and I couldn't be happier. It is currently 27 degrees with light wind gusts, and we are socked in! According to the forecast, it's supposed to clear up this afternoon. Cross your fingers! Hopefully just in time for another sunset...

Yesterday's high was 34 degrees, with a low temp of 25. Clear skies and sun rays all day! The mountain was a little more crowded than usual, but I enjoyed chatting with some very nice folks. The trails up top are coated in snow and ice, so use caution when making the climb. Being prepared in conditions like these is vital, so bring some extra provisions. If you ever so choose to hike the mountain today, boot traction is a must. Also, do not wear cotton layers! You never want to sweat through your base layer, that could put you in a world of hurt!

"No winter lasts forever; no spring skips its turn..."

​-Hal Borland

P.S. I do apologize about the blog yesterday. I wrote the entire post and sent it, now looking back it seems it did not upload. 

Sunday’s high temp was 34° with a low of 19°. There was an inch of new snow, bringing the total snow depth up to 5”. Newfound Gap Rd remains closed due to ice and snow.

Good day to you all,

I have had an arctic start to my morning! A mere 13 degrees when I walked in the kitchen. Frozen doors and locks made for an interesting approach... We received 4.5 inches of snow yesterday! I woke up to clear, starry skies, fresh snow and a cloud inversion beneath me! Yesterday's high was 35, with an inhospitable low of 13.  The temperature is slowly rising as the morning progresses. There are no clouds above us at the moment, and a sea of clouds continues to cover the valley floor. Highway 441 remains closed as of right now, but Cherokee Orchard is still open. If you are daring enough to hike the mountain today, use extreme caution along the trails. Bring your spikes/crampons if you have them, and pack some extra layers!

01/05/2020

- "I woke up from a deep sleep to an unpleasant alarm. I swung my legs off of the bed and hopped on the wooden floor. It resembled an iceberg, so I knew to layer up. Upon karate kicking the frozen door, I was hit with a bone-chilling gust of wind and powder. If I wasn't awake 5 minutes ago, I sure was now! I shuffled to the kitchen to grab my camera, then I set out to Myrtle Point. With clear skies above and white clouds below, I powered through the powder. Wind pierced through layer after layer as I reached the point, timing was everything. The sun slowly crept over distant hills as I found my perch. Mesmerized, the bitter cold left my mind as I sat back in awe. A moment worthy of applause and tears, an ideal way to start my day..."

- Kemp 

Good morning!

All is well atop Mount LeConte! It is currently 23 degrees this morning and dropping, with heavy cloud cover and a snow/sleet mix. Yesterday's high was a pleasant 46 degrees, with a low temp of 35. Light rain showers fell throughout the day, with strong wind gusts coming and going. The trails up top are covered in water and slush at the moment, which makes for some wet socks! With temperatures dropping rapidly, be cautious if you choose to hike the mountain today. Highway 441 closed at noon, so keep that in mind if you plan on hiking up today or tomorrow morning.

Watching these flakes fall from my window is so soothing. I could get used to living in a snow globe! 

"With every falling flake, a unique spark of interest falls from heaven..."
​
-P. Miller

Good morning all!

The Smoky Mountains are living up to their name this morning! It is 46 degrees up top currently, thick fog accents the surrounding evergreens. Yesterday's high was 47 degrees, with a low temp of 38. We received 1.4 inches of rain yesterday, and the wind howled constantly through the night. Light rain is predicted for the rest of the day, temps should stay in the mid-40s until later this evening. If you plan on hiking the mountain today, be sure to bring your rain gear and some dry clothes! The trails are pretty soggy, with some small patches of ice near the top. Days like this are perfect for reading, writing, yoga, and napping! 

"Derive happiness in oneself from a good day's work, illuminating the fog that surrounds us..."
​-Henri Matisse

Good Morning,

It was another splendid Smoky Mountain day to kickoff the New Year. Sunshine and breathtaking vistas dominated the daylight hours one more time before bringing this lovely stretch of weather we’ve enjoyed to a close. Not much temperature variance yesterday, hovering between the mid 20s and low 30s all day and night. The mountain is clouded over currently and temps have actually risen to the mid 30s under gusty winds.

Rain is approaching from the south and it looks like we’ll be seeing plenty of it and the white fluffy stuff in the coming days. Mild temps should keep things wet this afternoon, but by late Friday and through all of Saturday temps should turn frigid and we could see some decent snow accumulation. It’s a safe bet to expect US 441 getting temporarily closed once conditions really start to sour. Please use caution if you have the motivation to get outside and play in it.

Special thanks to our battalion of winter caretakers these last few weeks for tending to priority number one, and that’s “taking care” of the lodge in it’s December dormancy. Also for the insights, stunning photos, and live captures of what’s been happening on the mountain daily. Here’s a toast to Steve, Pnut, Greg, Al, Kemp, Dick, Ann, and John for their efforts.

Kemp, who you may recall as one of our in-season cooks and crew, will be taking up the mantle for the next long while. We look forward to seeing what he has to offer as an avid outdoorsman and someone who appreciates the beauty of Mt. LeConte.

​Have a great day.

Good Afternoon,

Happy New Year everyone! Thanks for following along with us through 2019. We’re excited to see what 2020 has in store for Mt. LeConte in the weeks and months to come.

The last day of the decade was a gorgeous one, once again starting cloudy but giving way to sensational sunny skies. It was a chilly mountaintop again, never breaking the freezing mark as our high was only 30°. We registered a low of 16° under a starry night sky. No new precipitation. Today looks like we hit the repeat once again, another enjoyable day to play in the woods.

​For the second year in a row, our total liquid precip on the mountain broke the 100” mark and comfortably finished above the annual average. The warmest the lodge ever got was 77° and our coldest moment came in at -5°, both readings par for the course in a given year.

Friendly reminder that our reservations office is closed for the holiday, but will reopen tomorrow and resume normal business hours. Quick shout out to lodge friend and frequent guest, Linten, who decided to spend his last day in 2019 day tripping to the lodge. Happy 100th summit to him! What milestones do you look forward to reaching in the New Year? If it has something to do with Mt. LeConte, we look forward to the chance of celebrating with you.

Have a great holiday!

Good Morning,

Well it’s hard to ask for a better set of days for saying farewell to 2019 and another decade. It didn’t take long for the clouds to dissipate yesterday morning, and once they did it became a sweet sunshine filled spectacle. With such nice weather and so many people in town for the holiday, the mountain played host to a great many day hikers out enjoying the day. It’s quite possible we see a repeat of such action again today. Was nice to see the road crews made quick work of cleaning up and reopening US 441.

Monday’s high temp, despite the abundant sunshine, was down compared to recent days at just 38°. Same story for the low, dropping to 17°. No new precipitation recorded. Today and tomorrow are expected to be slightly cooler but still pleasant. The rest of the week looks like we’re in for a roller coaster ride of temps and stormy conditions, both the rainy and snowy variety. Could make things interesting up here for sure.

​Have a great conclusion to the year wherever you are!

Good Morning,

​US 441 (Newfound Gap Rd) is temporarily closed this morning due to downed trees courtesy of last night’s high winds. Hopefully the NPS crews can make quick work of it so visitors in town for the holiday can come enjoy the park.

Sunday was a day spent in the clouds with occasional rain showers, the bulk of which passed through during the night. The mountain received 1.1” of rainfall, not nearly as much as compared to our neighboring states to the north who appeared to be getting dumped on all day. Temps were quite stable much of the afternoon, hovering in the upper 40s. Our high eventually topped out at 49° and our low managed to dip down to 32°. Current conditions are mostly cloudy skies with mountain tops poking through varying levels of the atmosphere, with temps starting out in the mid 30s.

With less than ideal conditions for gallivanting around the forest, yesterday made for a great opportunity to catch up on some camp chores and keeping cozy in the kitchen. That means baking and reading!

Good Morning,

​Another mild mountain day in the books. Saturday’s high came in at 48° and our low was 36°. It’s already in the mid 40s this morning under mostly cloudy skies. Rain is coming across the region in scattered bands today, so we’ll see just how much we get here on the mountain. So far the clouds have squeaked out just 0.07”. Don’t seem to be any issues with park roads for the moment.

Have a great finish to the weekend.