The crew has been on a hot streak of late when it comes to gathering for a "game night."  It's been something different every evening so far, but last night's festivities included a couple hours of "Traveling Pictionary" over popcorn.  Needless to say, with this group's sense of humor and creativity, it didn't take long to get every one of us giggling grandly.  The above is an example, appropriate for anyone and everyone who may stumble upon today's blog entry, in which those of us participating did a remarkable job of staying close to the first person's original theme.  The same can't be said for most of the other story lines that unfolded as the papers were passed around.  I wonder if tonight's gaming will bring about a repeat performance or something new!
     Take care and have a great day.

Good Afternoon,
     Saturation point achieved!  The rain came in not long after sunset yesterday and has been on and off ever since. Conditions won't change much in the coming days.  We reported 0.45" of rain last night, and Sunday's high temperature came in at 70 degrees, followed by a low of 52.  We're hovering in the upper 50's here at lunchtime.
     It's been a bit windier the last couple days as well, so you can count on that adding to a slightly cooler feel in the evenings.  Make sure to surround yourself and your gear in waterproof layers.  Bringing a change of clothes is smart when we get bogged down in these soakers, but of course, we're always happy to sell you our fabulous "I Hiked It" apparel.  We also have ponchos to offer in case you find yourself in a pinch.
​     Silver lining when it's a llama day...the rain clouds are helping to keep our hard working boys cool while it's still technically summer.  Their service is greatly appreciated!
     Have a great rest of the day.

Good Afternoon,
     As anticipated, its been another wonderful day to enjoy the outdoors.  It's also a great day for catching up on projects, as the day hiker traffic is much calmer today than yesterday.  Saturday's temperatures were a repeat of those the day prior, matching a high of 64 degrees and a low of 46.  The lone difference being that there was no new precipitation.  After this evening, the forecast looks to be quite a soaker, with strong storm percentages hanging around the next couple of days.  Have those ponchos, shells, and umbrellas on the ready, and a good sturdy pair of boots to keep those toes dry!  We'll be sure and have plenty of hot chocolate and coffee ready to warm your insides once you arrive.
​     Enjoy the rest of your day.

Good Afternoon,
     It's going to be a fabulous summer weekend on the mountain!  The skies have cleared and the sun is out in full, radiating fashion.  We were in and out of rain showers yesterday, compiling a grand total of 1.0" for the period. Friday's high temperature came in at 64 degrees, accompanied by a low of 46.  It is currently 60 with the promise of going up a few more degrees, but remains comfortable.
     It continues to be overwhelmingly beautiful around camp, with everything still in bloom.  We hope you can find an opportunity to hike on up and check it out.  These crisp, cool nights we've been having since late July have been spoiling us, providing one with a sense of autumn.  We'll be seeing the leaves change before you know it, but until then, let's enjoy the warmer weather while we have it. Please continue to pack enough food and water for your day on the trail.
​     Have a great weekend!

Good Morning,
     It's another beautiful day in the neighborhood! Significantly more sunshine to start the morning for us, which goes a long way in energizing those of us who maybe aren't as good at being early risers.  Wednesday shook out to be a mild day, as our high temp only reached 63 degrees.  Our overnight low bottomed out at 43. Yesterday afternoon's abrupt but brief thunderstorm threw some small hail at us and produced 0.3" of rain.  Today's precip chances are much less, so the hiking conditions should be friendlier.
     The major attention grabber this month will be the greatly advertised Solar Eclipse happening on August 21st. As the event draws nearer we'll continue to provide pertinent information to our guests and day hikers following this blog.  Mt. LeConte sits outside the zone of totality, but it should still be an amazing sight to behold from our vantage point.  The NPS has some great information about the eclipse on their website, and I highly encourage you to check it out if you have hopes of witnessing the spectacle somewhere in the Smokies.
www.nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit/2017-solar-eclipse.htm
​     Have a great day and thanks for stopping by the site.

Howdy,
     It's been an eventful day on the mountain.  We woke up this morning to a pretty sunrise and a bear in temporary captivity.  Huge thanks to the awesome NPS wildlife management team for tending to our overly curious bear. It also provides them a great opportunity to kindly educate crew and visitors about bears and the work that the NPS does to keep them wild and safe.  By the time our bear was evaluated and set loose, the llamas rolled into camp with our supplies, which included a new trainee exceeding expectations.  Welcome to the mountain, Iggy!  Weather-wise, sun and clouds had been patchy much of the day, but a pop-up thunderstorm rocked the mountain around 3:00 PM.  A brief downpour and a few close lightning strikes had folks ducking for cover, but skies are already clearing off. Tuesday's high temperature only reached 62 degrees, and our low was 46.  These fantastically cool days continue to hang around...simply stellar hiking weather!
​     Get out and enjoy it if you can.  Have a great day.

Good Afternoon,
     It's August, and just like that we're halfway through summer.  We're thankful for these milder temps, which look to persist through the first part of the new month.  It should definitely make things easier for the coming and going of guests and day hikers.  We wrapped up the last day of July without any new precipitation.  Yesterday's high temperature managed to reach 65 degrees, and the overnight low dipped to 45.  It's been partly cloudy much of the day with temps in the upper 50's, and a limited sight line peering down into the Tennessee Valley.  If you're staying with us in the coming weeks, it'll be a good idea to pack an extra layer or windbreaker for attending sunset. Getting to be a little cooler up on the rocks at Cliff Tops.
     Enjoy the rest of your day.

Happy Monday,
     We've been treated to a most pleasant finish to the month of July...two sunny and cool, blue bell kind of days. Working or playing outside is preferable.  Yesterday's high temperature came in at a cozy 65 degrees, and we reached a delightfully chilly low of 43 degrees for the second consecutive night.  These cooler than normal temps already have us jokingly discussing when we might see the first snow.  Probably not what anyone is wanting to hear just yet, but it would add a nice splash to those Christmas in July/August festivities that take place this time of year. These mild temperatures don't look to be going anywhere in the extended forecast, which is quite fine by us (and the llamas).

     We had our first bear sighting in camp today for the first time in several months, so it's time for everyone hiking up to see us to be "bear aware!"  It's a new one without tags, and big, but hopefully any bad habits can be thwarted.  Please notify us or the NPS of any sightings so that the proper steps can be taken to educate and protect visitors, and keep the bear safe and wild.  Thanks!

     It continues to be knockout gorgeous on the mountain, so hopefully you can find time in your schedules to pay us a visit.  Last night's guests were enjoyably unique, in that they all went around the room stating where they hailed from and swapping interesting stories related to the lodge. As I've mentioned numerous times, it's the people that make this place so special.  We had the fortune of hosting guests not only from our fine state of Tennessee, and not just folks from around the continental USA, but some gentlemen representing Puerto Rico and Germany.  It's great that LeConte Lodge is sought after as an international experience.  There were some first-timers in the house, and others who've been coming for decades. We look forward to seeing ALL of them again soon.  The same goes for you!
     Have a fabulous start to the week.

Good Afternoon and Happy Saturday,
     Today is shaping up to be our busiest day of the year so far.  Crowds and crowds of folks braving the rain, wind, and cooler temps just to visit the mountain.  The hot chocolate is hitting the spot today!  Friday's high temperature came in at 59 degrees, and our overnight low dipped to 52.  We received a couple heavy downpours during the night, which brought our rain total for the period up to 1.95".  We've had a few trickles today, but nothing to get excited about. The clouds continue their hold on the mountain, but we're hopeful that tomorrow's prediction of sunshine comes true.
     Time to get back at it!  Have a great weekend.

Good Morning,
     It looks and feels more like spring on the mountain today.  A little after 10:00 AM the winds started to pick up and the rain moved in.  Looks like it'll be hanging around the rest of today and early tomorrow.  There wasn't much temperature variance yesterday, as our high only tagged 64 degrees and our overnight low remained a mild 57. What few showers we witnessed on Thursday only amounted to 0.22" of liquid precipitation.

     Rain, wind, and cooler than normal temps can all lead to hypothermia, even in late July in these mountains. Please pack the appropriate layers to get up here safely and as dry as possible.  Sometimes, that precip just finds its way into every crevasse, in which case we are always happy to sell you one of our styling apparel pieces to help get you dry...from shirts to flannel pants and hoodies to socks.
     A big thank you to a kind and thoughtful Miss Avery for her gift this morning of the hand drawn picture seen above. I'd say she absolutely nailed the beautiful details of this place, featuring a grazing deer in front of a lush spruce-fir forest.  If we have the pleasure of hosting this young and talented individual in the future, maybe she'll intrigue us with another great depiction of our mountain.
     Thanks for stopping by the site, and should you hit the trails, try and stay dry!