Good Morning,
There’s a spotlight focused on Mt. LeConte to start this Monday. Or is it just the incredibly bright “worm moon” taking place this month? Seriously had to check if the solar panels were drawing power from it. Winds have picked up speed during the night, and that will be one of the major storylines…aside from our reopening…these next couple days. Hikers will get to bask in mild temps and partly cloudy skies if out and about today, with rain expected for much of Tuesday. Winds will continue to increase in speed, hitting an apex of 80mph gusts tonight and into tomorrow. Despite the High Wind Warning, park roads accessing Mt. LeConte remain open at this time (save for seasonal Roaring Fork), but visitors should not be surprised if that changes on account of the conditions. Still, it wouldn’t be a bad idea for guests with reservations to take the shortest and quickest route up and down the mountain early this week. Especially since downed trees are still an obstacle on a couple trails. Now that we’ve got that vital info out of the way, it’s on to what everyone is really excited about. By now, most LeConte Lodge enthusiasts are aware that 2024 marks our 100th Season in existence (1st=1925, 2nd=1926, 3rd=1927…1934=10th…..2024=100th). Not to be confused with the 100th Anniversary set to place next summer. So to help us celebrate all year long, it only makes sense to offer a range of merchandise speaking to this season’s significance. Specifically 2024’s edition of the now decades-famous “I Hiked It” shirt, only available up here to those courageous enough to claim it. There’s no doubt that climbers of Mt. LeConte will wear this apparel with pride, and that anyone with any hint of familiarity to LeConte Lodge will immediately recognize the famous look. SO…it’s time to unveil the official shirt of the 100th Season! Drumroll……… (Bubbling anticipation and brow sweat)……… Cymbal crash!!!
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Good Afternoon,
It’s the Eve of Opening Day 2024 and the 100th season of LeConte Lodge. Sounds like the spring breakers have arrived to the Smokies en masse this Palm Sunday. With such nice weather expected tomorrow, one would fully expect the trails of Mt. LeConte to be hopping! It’s been another exciting day full of prep work and fine tuning in anticipation of Monday’s first arrivals. Sunshine, blustery winds, and temps near 50° are on tap for the new week. Recently, the National Park Service decided to close the Office building historically used for providing check-in and retail services at the lodge. While plans for its renovation continue to go through the motions, the Dining Hall will now serve as the major hub for the overnight guest and day hiker experience. Here are some key things to expect upon arriving at the lodge beginning tomorrow… Q: Where can visitors purchase merchandise like the famous “I Hiked It” shirts now? A: The Dining Hall will house the Gift Shop, welcoming both overnight guests and day hikers inside during posted hours. Q: Will overnight guests still get served meals family style in the Dining Hall? A: Absolutely! Same times, same place, same delicious Southern fix-in’s, same unforgettable lodge experience. Q: Can the Dining Hall really accommodate the inclusion of a Gift shop? A: Yes! It’s impressive just how spacious the hall is, and although a few tables have been shuffled around, there remains adequate space for visitors to safely and comfortably access the gift shop, utilize dining tables, and enjoy views from the back porch. Q: What will the check-in process be like for overnight guests now? A: First, follow and read all signage directing you toward and inside the Dining Hall. A party leader should then check-in with a crewmember at the kitchen counter instead of at the Gift Shop. Tours of camp will ensue without disrupting customers in line looking to purchase souvenirs. Q: What else can visitors do inside the Dining Hall besides shop for souvenirs or eat meals as overnight guests? A: To-go lunches, baked goods, and other snacks will be sold from the Gift Shop as normal. Games will be available to all those interested, as well as string guitars upon request. We’ve even incorporated some of the famous historical and interpretive pictures from the former Office. Overnight guests will be served complimentary drinks during posted hours, and still have self-service beverages at night and before breakfast. Q: What about the swing and rocking chairs from the Office porch? A: The swing has been relocated to the Dining Hall back porch, paired with some new rockers we think you’ll enjoy (special announcement forthcoming!). Of course, now day hikers will be able to utilize the dining tables inside during posted hours. And there are nine outside picnic tables around camp for visitors to enjoy. Remember to pack out all trash, and to respect that porches of guest cabins are for those paying guests with reservations only. Q: So aside from having to transition certain services from one building to another, will that much really change for the average visitor? A: While we share in the memories and value all that the Office building offered to decades of visitors, we eagerly look forward to what renovations are in store for the structure. LeConte Lodge also remains unphased by new challenges and fully committed to providing a positive and memorable experience in the backcountry. Friendly service with a smile, delicious food after a day on the trail, must-have purchases and memorabilia, laughs and sing-alongs with friends, captivating sunsets with family…they’re all coming at you same as they ever have for 99 seasons prior. We take pride in what we do, and our crew is stacked with folks who take hospitality to heart. So, beginning tomorrow, come on up and let us make your mountain getaway a special one…for the 100th time. Good Evening,
As predicted, it has been a wet and dreary day from start to finish on the mountain. Certainly a great opportunity to complete chores indoors, and admire the beauty of the outdoors from behind the cozy confines of windows, board, and batten. Temps had been in the upper 30s much of the day, but about supper time the thermometer dropped and it didn’t take long for surfaces to ice over. Sunday will make for a much better day than today to hit the trails and explore the forest. Expect conditions to be chilly at sunrise, but it shouldn’t take long for skies to clear and warmth to return, as we hope to reach the 50s tomorrow. Progress continues in earnest as our team puts the finishing touches on getting the lodge organized and suitable for welcoming of our first guests Monday. The excitement builds with each new box opened and cabin tidied and tucked. If initial glimpses are any indication, we think you’re going to fall in love with this year’s special 100th season “I Hiked It” shirt and a whole treasure trove of exclusive Lodge memorabilia. As per tradition, we’ll unveil the “pièce de résistance” on Opening Day! Have a great night. Good Morning,
Our hard-working crew continues to churn through preparations for the coming 100th season of LeConte Lodge. Indoors, outdoors…there’s a plethora of tasks to be tackled in anticipation of welcoming back our beloved guests. Day by day, hour by hour, working beneath both sunlight and moonlight, we can see the vision coming together and the progress has us all excited. We have a veteran crew that’s perhaps the most motivated this mountain has ever seen, eager to deliver and undaunted by any challenge. An ideal fit for what this year has in store. We’ve enjoyed a sweet streak of sunshine in recent days, but later today that weather will turn less favorable for spending time outside. Clouds will increase throughout the day, eventually seeing the return of rain showers by supper time. Wet conditions are expected to persist Saturday, possibly dampening plans for the weekend warriors and spring breakers. Temps won’t stray much from the 40s today and tonight. There’s also a Wind Advisory in effect now until late this evening, calling for gusts upwards of 45mph. Sunday certainly looks more promising for rambles in the woods and wandering over peaks. Have a great day. Good Morning,
Happy official first full day of Spring! It was another superb day of flying on the mountain. We managed to wrap up provisioning yesterday afternoon for the 2024 season. That means beginning today, safety protocols have been lifted and visitors can now mosey through lodge grounds once again. Please note, that the Lodge is not providing visitor services just yet, as there’s still a great deal of prep work taking place before we open our doors on Monday. Water will continue to be available at the natural spring, but not the spigots. Hikers will notice that we have a great many materials staged for improvement projects, not just for completion this week, but over the coming months. Thankfully it isn’t as frigid atop the mountain this morning. No single digit readings or sub-zero wind chills expected today! We’ll start out below freezing again, but it will feel warmer sooner for everyone as the bright sun ascends into clear skies. Temps could reach the upper 40s this afternoon. Winds will put a chilly damper on conditions though, gusting as much as 35mph over the peaks. So layer up and watch for patchy ice on trail if starting up the mountain early. A special shout out to everyone on our team who helped make this year’s airlift a quick, efficient, and smashing success once again! Always an exciting time made possible by the efforts of many dedicated and hard working people. Have a great day. Good Morning,
It was an eventful day on the mountain yesterday, as we basically slung helicopter loads from sunup to sundown. We still have plenty to receive today, so lodge grounds will continue to be closed to public access. We’re expecting sun-filled skies again today, but it’s going to be quite chilly. Sub-zero wind chills kind of chilly, certainly for this morning until the sun gains some height over High Top. It won’t feel like it with 35mph gusts, but we could see temps reach the 40s this afternoon. Any lingering wet places on trail will have surely frozen over during the night, so tread carefully until conditions warm. Exciting times are ahead, but more work to be done in the meantime. Have a great day. Good Morning and Happy St. Patty’s Day!
The rising sun is slowly bringing light and inspiration to us this fine Sunday morning atop East Tennessee’s crown jewel. It’s cooler than it has been of late, the mercury currently residing around the freezing mark. The winds have also kicked up, causing frasier fir branches to sway boldly. All that said, skies should remain relatively clear over the mountains today with ample sunshine. Everyone’s optimistic about the future forecast and intently hoping it holds. We have a lot of goods to fly in, and cooperating aviation conditions are crucial. Reminder that lodge grounds will be closed to the public beginning today as we put the finishing touches on staging for our upcoming airlift, and while the helicopter is active. Visitors will only have access to the pit privies at the far west end of camp. Signs will direct those looking for the natural spring around toward Trillium Gap. Of course places like Myrtle Point and Cliff Tops can be claimed same as any day, as they are outside of our quaint and cozy lodge perimeter. Lodge grounds won’t reopen to the public until flying of supplies has culminated. Thank you for your understanding as we keep everyone safe and a great many things organized during these vital preseason preparations. Have a great end to the week. Good Afternoon,
So much to do in such a short time! Our team got after it hard today. Scrubbing and cleaning inside, lifting and moving outside. That trend will continue for the next week as we excitedly prepare for the coming season. Once a lingering mist and cap cloud gave up the fight this morning, skies broke open and we’ve been enjoying bountiful blue and superb sun all day. Looks like the folks down below spent much of this Saturday beneath the cloud sea. That meant a nice treat for anyone who tested themselves attaining the summit today. Skies and temps look favorable once again tomorrow, with only a slight chance for late evening rain showers. After that, wintry-feeling air and sub-freezing temps return leading into the new week. Fingers crossed the sunshine being called for stays in the forecast for prompt and smooth flying. Have a great rest of the day. Good Morning,
Well, we have ourselves some nasty conditions to trudge through this Friday. The first waves of rain, thunder, and lightning have already started with more on the way. It appears the heaviest precip and most frequent flashes will occur later this morning, with showers then lingering much of the day. Winds will swirl over the peaks and down the hollers. US 441 remains open, but it just takes one downed tree to make a mess of things, not that one would expect the Smokies to be bustling with visitors on a day like this anyways. Trails will become a sloppy slog for sure as the hours tick by. It continues to feel unseasonably warm up top. Thermometers should hover between 40s-50s today and even into the weekend. Skies look promising now for Saturday, with clouds slowly giving way to abundant blue. On that account, expect foot traffic on the mountain to be excessive as spring breakers and weekend warriors all look to soak of sunshine and eagerly bid farewell to winter. Reminder that even though one might see more activity happening around the lodge in the coming days, we are still closed and not providing visitor services until March 25. Quick shoutout to the NPS trail crew for clearing Alum Cave Trail this week and patching in the eroding steps at the top of camp. Stay dry and safe out there! Good Morning,
The air is still and silent. The trees, straight and stoic. The vivid distant horizons, soothing yet scintillating. Another beautiful morning in the lengthy annals of Mt. LeConte. Approaching 100 consecutive seasons of countless beautiful mornings at LeConte Lodge to be exact. The calendar states winter will be a thing of the past in exactly five days. Climatologically, this mountain has much longer to go, as the battle between icy cold and bursting blooms jostle for superiority over the peaks of Southern Appalachia. But for Lodge operating purposes, the winter off-season has officially concluded. This season’s crew will be arriving soon along with our airlift team to ensure our annual resupply runs smoothly and efficiently. Opening Day and the resumption of visitor services is set for March 25, but there is a great deal of work to be done between now and then. As is typical per our airlift safety protocols, lodge grounds will be closed to the public beginning this Sunday, March 17, and will not be accessible again until staging and airlift operations conclude. Day hikers will have access to the pit privies at the west end of camp only. Anyone not carrying enough water for the duration of their trek will need to come prepared for sourcing and treating water from the natural spring located a few steps down Trillium Gap to the northeast. That means no porches, no picnic tables, no pictures with the date and elevation until flying finishes. Rain or shine, it is the sole responsibility of each hiker to come prepared for a safe and enjoyable journey up and down the mountain. Speaking of rain or shine, we have a gorgeous day predicted for this Thursday. Abundant sunshine overhead, and temps might even tap 60° this afternoon. Perhaps that will help erase a decent chunk of the remaining snow and ice. Come Friday, we’re looking at a rainy weekend. The mountain was bustling with youth yesterday, many of whom are visiting while on college spring breaks. Trails should be quite congested once again today, so be sure and snag a parking spot early. Continue to bring traction devices, as it gets sketchy at 6,000 feet. Plenty more updates to come in anticipation of the new season. In the meantime, have a delightful day. |
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May 2024
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