Good Afternoon,

The seesaw has swung in favor of cloud cover more so than sunny skies today. The eerie gray veil gives one a sense of close quarters, only adding to the subtle chill filling the air. The lodge thermometer didn’t quite creep down as low as yesterday morning, but the mid 40s are still low enough to catch anyone unprepared garment-wise by surprise. This afternoon we’ve managed to ease into the mid 50s. One more cool night to go, and we expect to see warmer temps the rest of the week. A little more actual sunshine in line with what’s been advertised for our location wouldn’t hurt either. Despite the gloominess, birds and bees are making the most of it, dancing between every remaining flower they can before autumn and the first frosts arrive.

Have a great rest of the day.

Good Morning,

Folks are waking up to a vivid sunrise, captivating moonset, and mountain air with a bit of a bite! That’s right, cabin heaters were all turned a touch higher and blankets tucked a tad tighter last night. As predicted, a random thermometer plunge saw the lodge dip to a low of 40°. As the remaining fog burns off, the sun is doing its part to make things feel more mild for the coming afternoon. We are unlikely to exceed readings in the 50s though. The summit can bank one more iteration of this cold spell tomorrow before a renewed warming trend returns. Meanwhile, sunny skies abound this week, which will surely draw in the crowds.

Tomorrow, the closure of the Gatlinburg Bypass goes into effect, so motorists coming from the Spur (via Pigeon Forge) will have to go through downtown in order to enter the park the next several days. This temporary closure will last until Sunday night. There is also a single lane closure of the Spur scheduled in order for NPS crews to do routine roadside maintenance like tree trimming. Throw in the extra Jeep Invasion traffic and the Smokies should be packed to the gills. So come prepared for handling the congestion as you make your way to and from the mountain.

Have a great day.

Good Afternoon,

Cloudy and cool mountains have been the dominant storyline of the Smokies today. Just when you think a break is coming, or sunshine is teasing, another passing rain shower swoops in and dampens the mood. Winds out of the north have injected a moment of chill into everyone’s summer, and across all elevations at that. The lodge will spend the next few nights in the 40s and won’t see afternoon highs break the 50s, while the lowest areas of the park might only warm up to mid 70s. The shiveriness in the air will only persist while clouds and precip remain prevalent, but thankfully by tomorrow morning any fog should lift and the sun shall return. For the rest of the week, clear skies and warmer temps will become the norm, making for delightful time to spend in the outdoors. Between all the road maintenance projects, automobile events, and travelers hoping to take advantage of the sunny weather, expect a fair amount of congestion in and around the national park this week.

​Have a great day.

Good Morning,

​As a famous baseball player once said, “it’s déjà vu all over again!” That’s how it seems atop the mountain this Sunday morning, after another evening of intermittent storms, followed by a cloudy start. Skies could find an opportunity or two to break open over the next few hours, but by mid afternoon the rain showers are set to return and hang around the rest of the day. Wet conditions should linger through much of Monday before finally clearing off tomorrow night. It’ll be a little cooler with lows in the 40s, but after that the Smokies are licking their chops over a forecast calling for abundant sunshine all next week. The heat will also return and abruptly remind everyone that shorts, T-shirts, shades, and sunscreen are still the hiking apparel of choice. Count on trails to be a bit sloppy and slick these next 48 hours while the precip remains prevalent. When you aren’t watching each footstep and handhold closely, be sure and look up every once in a while to admire the mesmerizing cloud layers and formations as they weave between ridges and valleys.

​Have a great day.

Good Morning,

More than halfway through August now, but still a shade over a month of summer officially left to go. Everyone will need to keep that fact in mind over the coming days as a false fall appears in the forecast. There’s still plenty of lemonade sipping to be had before any pumpkin spice can truly become palatable. As predicted, scattered thunderstorms found their mark yesterday evening and into the early morning hours. Folks eager to hit the trails this morning found footing to be a bit wet still, especially as clinging clouds squeezed out the last they could before winds and a rising sun worked to clear the skies. Although day hikers should find success at keeping themselves dry today (excluding sweat), storm chances return by supper time and are likely to put on a repeat performance of last night. For Sunday, expect conditions to shake out similarly to today…60s, mostly cloudy, breezy, still plenty warm and humid in the lowlands, especially where sunshine manages to break through. Alas, come Monday, anyone visiting the mountain top will experience a cool blast, with high temps in the 50s and lows in the 40s on tap. Enjoy it while you can, because summer-like norms return hastily by midweek.

The mountain’s famous late summer bloomers are really coming into their own now. The purple gentian are leading the charge on various exposed slopes, while their running mate in the Grass of Parnassus still has at least one week to go before hitting peak form. Asters are appearing along the upper reaches, while goldenrods prepare for a swap with the pink turtleheads for any eye catching superiority. The coneflower and snakeroot are as thick as ever around the lodge, keeping the buzzers and pollinators occupied. No shortage of natural beauty to behold on Mt. LeConte this time of year.

​Have a great day.