Sunday, January 19th,2020

Good morning fellow higlanders,

The sun is shining ever so brightly this morning! It is 16 degrees at the moment and dropping, with clear skies and light wind gusts. Oh boy let me tell you, when those winds pick up just a little bit, you could be in a world of hurt! Judging by today's forecast, wind chills could plummet below zero by this evening! The sun is not giving us much warmth, even though it is beaming directly above us. The next few days are supposed to be COLD, so keep that in mind if you decide to maneuver your way up to the lodge. With the 0.3" of rain we received yesterday, the upper half of the mountain is frozen solid. Every step I take makes a loud crunching noise, sounds similar to stomping on ice cubes. Those who plan on hiking up today, look out for ice on the top half of the trail! Highway 441 opened an hour ago, so all trails in accessible! Also, many trees are still down around the mountain, some of which are blocking the paths. After chatting with some hikers yesterday afternoon, they spoke of a couple big trees down on Rainbow Falls trail too. Virtually all of these barked behemoths are easily maneuverable, some take a little extra thinking...

Yesterday's high temp was a blistering 40 degrees, with a mere low of 16. If anyone is planning on staying at the LeConte Shelter, be on the lookout for some bone-chilling wind gusts and blistering cold. Humans weren't equipped to survive in conditions like this, so make sure you bring your warmest jackets, best windbreakers, and plenty of determination. Those who push through the cold will be rewarded with clear skies and great visibility! If you make it up to one of our many overlooks on top, the temperature could be 10 degrees colder! Enjoy this beautiful Sunday, but take your time along the trail. Look out for yourself, and your fellow man. If you feel cold and/or under-prepared, don't feel ashamed if you turn around! Better to try the climb on a more pleasant day than to hurt yourself in the process! Stay warm and explore with caution...

"Shut that door! Not that it lets in the cold, but that it lets out the coziness..."

-Mark Twain