Good Morning,
The last 24 hours have seen a mix of nature’s fireworks and America’s fireworks. A tango of sorts between the booming echoes of thunder reverberating across mountain tops and distant pops bouncing up from the valley below. Thankfully yesterday’s late afternoon squall cleared out in plenty of time to offer clear skies at the lodge for everyone to enjoy the colorful 4th of July nighttime displays below. It also meant our crew could enjoy one of their great annual traditions to the fullest, a hearty and delicious feast on the back porch in the waning summer sunshine. This morning, the rain showers and thunder have returned and look to be hanging around much of the day. So bank on wet trails whether traversing the mountain up or down today. Temps won’t be as toasty up top this afternoon barely scraping the mid 60s. Thursday is calling for morning fog and a slight chance of storms in the afternoon, otherwise mostly sunny. Have a great day.
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Good Morning,
Happy Independence Day and 247th birthday to the USA! It will certainly be a busy national park today with visitors in the vicinity enjoying the wilderness before partaking of the celebratory festivities in the surrounding towns this evening. Numerous gateway communities will be hosting concerts and firework displays this evening, which means traffic in and around the park will get exponentially congested as the day goes on. Our weather will be warm and mostly sunny with high temps up near 70°. There are slight chances for isolated showers and thunderstorms throughout the afternoon, which could put a damper on some folk’s outdoor plans, should the atmospheric disturbances appear. Pack the appropriate gear, and most definitely the patience, as you explore the mountains this 4th of July. Have a great day. Good Morning,
Several strong thunderstorms are rocking the mountains this morning as folks wake up and go about their day. It looks like we’ll be in and out of sunshine and isolated storms all day, so no excuses to get caught outside without protective rain gear today. The thermometer will read warm today, nearing 70° this afternoon, but the intermittent and anticipated wind gusts of 30mph could easily have one feeling cool higher up. The forecast for Independence Day and much of the first full week of July looks very similar. As expected, the national park was especially busy this weekend. Between the wet weather and many folks having to return to work this Monday, it shouldn’t be as congested in the Smokies today. Just a heads up that our reservations office is open during normal business hours today, but will be closed tomorrow in observance of the national holiday. Lastly, regarding up-to-date road information, visitors to GSMNP will have to gather that intel from two of three sources provided below. Twitter appears to have implemented some temporary changes that prevent non-account holders from viewing public pages on certain devices. This will also affect numerous folks who actively follow our own feed for last minute vacancies at the lodge. In the meantime, such inquiries will have to be made direct to our reservations office until Twitter changes its policies on public access. Have a great day. Good Morning,
It’s going to be a mix of sun and clouds today, accompanied by haze and light winds. Temps up top are expected to reach the lower 70s, which easily means 90s for the lowlands this afternoon. Proper and consistent hydration and nourishment is key! The possibility for isolated thunderstorms is minimal but enough that it could realistically happen, especially later in the day. So please pack your bags wisely for weather conditions that could change on a dime. With the holiday weekend getting kickstarted, expect visitor traffic in and around the park to be quite congested now and through the 4th. Throw some roadway wildlife viewing into the mix, such as “bear jams,” and one could experience some serious wait times en route to or from any Mt. LeConte trailheads. Early starts will definitely be the ticket if avoiding the crowds or parking lot frustrations is important to your Smokies experience. Have a great day. Good Morning,
Wow, it’s already the last day of June 2023! Time sure does fly, even up here 6,593’ closer to the sun. It looks like we’re going to receive some assistance today from Mother Nature with clearing out this sickly smoke. Unfortunately, the trade off is happening in the way of thunderstorms, rain, and wind. The rumbling echoes of which are already being heard this morning as dark clouds roll in from the north. The Air Pollution Advisory that the NPS had in place yesterday has been lifted. The winds and rain are doing enough across the midwest United States to cutoff the southerly flow of smoke from Canada. The code orange Air Quality Alert for Ozone has been extended though, especially since the heat bubble that has been plaguing numerous southern states is slowly sliding over us this weekend. So folks with respiratory sensitivity should continue to take caution when spending time outdoors. And everyone should be mindful about the heat and humidity, taking all the necessary steps to stay hydrated and well nourished before entertaining a strenuous activity. Temps on the mountain could tap 70° everyday this weekend, and skies will continue to tap dance between sunshine and pop-up storms. Come prepared with the proper gear and clothing for it all! Have a great day. Good Morning,
The heat, humidity, and haze are here to stay. It appears that our unusually cool start to summer is finally over. These next few days the mountaintop could consistently hit high temps in the 70s, which doesn’t happen all that often in a given year. Skies will be mostly sunny today, but the soupy conditions will mute the visibility and brightness significantly. The wildfire smoke billowing down from Canada is also fueling the extra dense haze with particulate matter. A code orange Air Quality Alert for Ozone has been issued for our area. Anyone with respiratory illnesses or persons spending prolonged periods of time in the outdoors are subject to feeling the effects of potentially unhealthy air quality. Visitors to Mt. LeConte are encouraged to take frequent rest stops to moderate their physical exertion while out in these conditions. If any of the above applies to you, please use caution today and over the coming weekend while visiting GSMNP. Have a great day. Good Afternoon,
After receiving nearly 7” of total rainfall this past week alone, the creeks are flowing and little critters like snails and salamanders are thriving. But we’re about to transition from what has been a cool June to a hot start for July. Skies will be mostly sunny today, but the summer haze and smoky conditions spreading down from Canada will have visibility at a minimum. With temps expected to escalate at all elevations over the coming days, it is likely that the air quality will affect those people with respiratory sensitivities. The mountain should tap the upper 60s today then start creeping into the 70s each day leading into the weekend. With future highs in the 90s in places like Gatlinburg, the mountain streams and shade of the trees will provide some nice reprieve to those hoping to escape the heat ahead of the national holiday. There will be slight chances of pop up thunderstorms in the coming days as well, so visitors will need to pack plenty of water, sunscreen, hats, and rain gear to have a safe and enjoyable trek in the wilderness. Have a great day. Good Morning,
What a difference a day full of sunshine makes on the mountain. One almost had to wear sunglasses indoors because of not being use to seeing such bright natural light after so long. Even with the steady breeze throughout the day, it felt truly delightful to be outside and in the wilderness on Monday. A small passing shower tagged the summit during the night and we’re starting this Tuesday off in the clouds. Skies are expected to clear up though and give us another afternoon with plenty of sunshine. Temps will top out in the lower 60s. Tomorrow looks superb as well for spending extended time in the woods. US 441 (Newfound Gap Rd) reopened about midday yesterday, so visitors can access the heart of the Smokies once again. Kudos to NPS road maintenance crews for tackling that unplanned mess of a rockslide after early yesterday morning’s beast of a storm. Trail crews will also be working on rehabbing various trails on Mt. LeConte this week. Be sure and thank them for their efforts in keeping trails in good working order on this heavily trafficked mountain. Have a great day. Good Morning,
After a late afternoon rain shower soaked the mountain yesterday, the mountain top was finally treated to views of the valley as clouds parted. Guests could even enjoy a sunset spectacular for the first time in a week. As the sun rises this Monday, lodge residents are waking up to beautiful blue skies and what is now expected to be a crystal clear day. That was not the case during the night though… In what was easily one of the fiercest storms the lodge has endured all year, over 2.5” of rainfall lambasted the summit in an hour, accompanied by hail, roaring winds, and unrelenting lightning. Numerous waterfalls quickly formed and raged around camp, displacing rocks and churning footpaths into rivers. All that water will be making its way down the mountain this morning and creek levels will take a couple hours to subside down below. Despite the sunshine, expect wet and sloppy trails en route to the top today, and use caution at any unbridged crossings. This week it appears temps will start to warm up to readings more seasonably appropriate. Highs for us will be in the upper 60s by this afternoon, and we could experience time in the 70s later this week. US 441 (Newfound Gap Rd) is temporarily closed due to a rockslide near the Chimney Tops trailhead. Guests with reservations today will need to utilize trails out of Cherokee Orchard this morning to reach to the lodge. There is no timetable when US 441 will reopen, but road crews are actively working to clear the obstruction. Have a great day. Good Afternoon,
We’ve gotten to enjoy what one might call a break in the wet weather this morning, with intermittent glimpses of blue sky and sunshine. But the dominant storyline of the week being clouds and rain continues. Even now, the next round of severe storms are about to strike the mountains. Temps are certainly comfortable in the upper 50s at the lodge. We have a couple more days ahead of us calling for occasional storm chances, but by Wednesday we might finally get to bask in some bountiful uninterrupted sunshine. Despite the dreary consistency of the past week, the crew’s spirit is high and their appetites limitless. Guests staying with us are treated to a feast every night and again before departing each morning. And our talented cooks keep the hard working staff fueled with delectables as well to keep them going day after day. A common question we hear is if the crew eats the same meal as the guests. As delicious as our family style guest offering may be, thankfully that answer is a no. Chowing down on the same menu would get tiresome after a couple consecutive days of it, let alone eight straight months… Have a great rest of the day. |
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
May 2024
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