The Mountain We All Love

4/4/2013

The view from my back porch on Mt. LeConte.

I consider myself to be one of the luckiest people alive. I have a job that I adore atop one of the most beautiful mountains in the United States. The view from my back porch is awe-inspiring. Being able to share this mountain with so many people who share my passion for hiking, is one of the many perks to this job. With this being said, I also enjoy the sence of adventure. There are no words to describe the feeling you get when you step off the plane into a new world and experience the sights, sounds, and smells. I adore the sensory overload of traveling. I have been fortunate to experience stunning views from many back porches. I will have to admit the view I witnessed from my tent this winter was one I will never forget. The way my heart almost leaped out of my chest with excitement was nothing I have ever felt. To look at the majestic mountain and realize I would be standing on top of it, was a feeling I can not explain. I know most of you know the feeling that I am talking about because so many of you feel this way about Mt. LeConte. That is the feeling that brings me back year after year. The fact that I get to share this with you makes life great.

The amazing view of Mt. Kilimanjaro from my "home away from home".

It is currently raining on the mountain. We have received around .3" of rain so far. The high yesterday was 43º with a low of 28º. The rain is helping to melt the little bit of snow we have left.

Rick

4/4/2013 01:19:07 am

Beautiful sunrise

Pat N.

4/4/2013 01:19:55 am

Got family hiking up today...I bet you'll recognize a few of them. Be sure to give 'em a rough mountain time!

betsy

4/4/2013 01:37:25 am

what a great shot from your tent. Was that base camp and did you travel by foot from that point????

Jennifer

4/4/2013 01:48:08 am

Is it possible to hike today without much difficulty? We have reservations but have never been up the trail and are a little concerned.

Nash

4/4/2013 02:03:08 am

I hope you have good rain gear; it's going to be a wet one!

4/4/2013 08:21:26 am

Okay-we tried to make it up but did not have luck today. We wimped out at Rainbow Falls. Came back down because we were soaking wet even with rain gear. We began to feel unsafe so decided to give up. Maybe next time.

Jennifer Mitchell

4/4/2013 02:32:53 am

Very excited to see your posts. We'll be hitting the trail next Friday to come and see you guys. I've only done the hike once but I'm traveling with veterans of the mountain and my daughter is coming with us for the first time. She'll be 10 on the 15th and is super excited to see what all the fuss is about. Both of your pictures are AH-MAZING. It's like being able to touch the heavens. Can't wait to see you all!

Beckie L

4/4/2013 03:00:36 am

Jennifer, We are heading up next thursday with our daughter for her first trip. She is 13! I will share your post with her in hopes to encourage her. She is a little uncertain about the hike. Wish we were going on the same day so they could meet & hang out. I hope we all have good weather next weekend. Happy & safe hiking to your family!
Beckie Langston

doug y

4/4/2013 03:14:23 am

Liked your photo of Kilimanjaro; in 28 yrs the snow/ice cap on the summit has certainly retreated some since I stood atop it. I was wondering if you spent a night up somewhere on the mountain ?

Why do we hike ? Why do YOU hike ? Why do I hike ? Surely there are as many reasons as there are individuals out actually doing it, and even within s single family unit the reasons can be varied and diverse. Before hiking many read guidebooks to prepare, some listen to the opinions and experiences of others, and some just simply go out and do it. A common thread that ties the majority of everyone together, on a multitude of levels, is that preparation for an outdoor walk, a pleasant and envigorating journey of a perhaps infinite number of distances. I often train and prepare specifically for a specific hike, selecting specific equipment, and generally read a specific guidebook on my intended route; I could write my own guidebook. But how can a book describe the psychological factors a person must prepare for ? The positive factors and variables, to me, are the most important and significant ones. But what of the possible despair, the alienation, the anxiety, and especially the pain both physical and mental encountered on a trail which slice to the very heart of the hiker's volition, which are the real things that must also be hopefully anticipated and planned for ? These variables are real concerns, but we can control them and not allow them to dominate our efforts. I don't think I had truly understood the world's vastness, hadn't even understood how vast a mile could be, until each mile was beheld at walking speed. And yet there was also its opposite, the intimacy I'd come to have with the trail, the shallow streams, the rugged slopes ascending and descending, the welcome flat level stretches I fel familar with, though some I'd never passed nor crossed before. I walked beneatn magnificently great tall dark trees, across wide open balds, along misty gurgling streams, and amongst innumerable species of flora and fauna, amazed and in awe, feeling my insignificance in nature, but likewise my part in it. As the years went by, I began to feel that the mountains were not impenetrable anymore. I could imagine, I could feel myself on them, in them, a part of them. I know how it feels to navigate them one..step...at...a....time ! ! !

Fraley Family

4/4/2013 03:32:06 am

Love your photo! On our bucket list and hoping it makes it to the top before we run out of time. Have a hiking trip to Denver planned for the summer to tackle our first 14er's. Our anticipation increases daily!

4/4/2013 03:34:15 am

* hoping WE make it to the top...

Pam

4/4/2013 04:09:24 am

WOW I couldn't have said it better myself for the love of the mountain. You always see something new everytime you are on a trail, no matter how many times you have traveled it. Can't wait to hear more of your adventures!! Love the pic!

Laura

4/4/2013 05:13:14 am

Thank you for the beautiful picture. My husband and I are in the car heading up from rainy Charlotte in hopes of a wonderful weekend. We will be hiking in Friday morning with a large group containing three generations and wondering if trillium is looking good. It's the one trail we haven't done and would love to have a new view.

Steve D

4/4/2013 06:42:12 am

Laura-not really sure about the shape Trillium is in, though the Lodge folks took the Llamas up this week so it is probably ok. Did you know you cannot drive to the trailhead yet and would have to park at the Rainbow Falls parking lot and walk the 2+ miles to the Trillium trailhead? The Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail road doesn't open until April 12. You could hike Rainbow Falls up and come down Trillium, that might be a bit easier for the going up part. Good luck and have a great trip!

4/4/2013 10:10:37 am

Thanks David!! Thinking now about bullhead so we will see. Have a great weekend!

Jay

4/4/2013 11:58:28 am

Laura,
We hiked up Trillium yesterday hoping to see the llamas. After hearing that they made the trip on Tuesday we were worried we might not see them but after we saw the horse trailer at the Grotto Falls lot and the fresh droppings on the trail we figured they were somewhere ahead of us. From the registry at the Lodge, we appeared to be the among the first guests of the season to use Trillium. The first Rainbow lot was full so we parked at the 2nd lot and walked up the Roaring Fork road a little ways to get to the Trillium trailhead. (As Steve D noted, the Motor Nature trail is closed still.) The trail was in great shape since the trail crew has done an outstanding job clearing trees at about a dozen spots. There was snow and ice for about the last mile and a half and though we had Yaks Trax, we decided not to use them just to see how it went. We really didn't have any problems without them but we did need them once we got to the top and explored out to the shelter and Cliff Tops. They probably would have made the trip faster but we still made it to the top in about 6 hours. The roast beef, mashed potatoes, green beans, and corn bread were an outstanding reward for finishing, by the way. We returned by Rainbow this morning and we used the Yaks Trax for the first mile or so. After that the snow and ice were mostly gone but the trail was full of water from all the rain today. We made it down Rainbow in about 4 hours but that was mostly because of all the mud at the bottom. Below Rainbow Falls, the trail became an extremely muddy mess and after all the rain today I would expect that any of the well traveled routes will be nasty tomorrow. Driving along I40 back to NC this evening we saw frost already on many of the higher hills so I would expect that much of the upper trails will be slick tomorrow. We would advise anyone headed up tomorrow to have adequate footwear until the trails dry out. Hope you have a great trip. To sum it all up...Trillium is open and manageable.

Workman!

4/4/2013 05:21:29 am

WOW! to beautiful

4/4/2013 06:03:59 am

So beautiful!! Loveeeeee:-)

Ken T

4/4/2013 06:04:42 am

Grand pictures and post ! Thanks for all you do..

Chuck

4/4/2013 07:02:11 am

Just got back from spending Wednesday night at the Lodge. We had a great time. Kind of slick at the top and pretty wet today but well worth it. We did Rainbow both ways. 5+ hours in the way up. We made it down in 3.5 today.

Gina

4/4/2013 07:33:49 am

Im headed up on Monday. Taking Rainbow because my feind has never taken it. I woud love to take Bullhead down to change it up. Has anybody heard what kind of shape it is in? Ive never done it. I know there were a lot of blowdowns from the October snow storm last year

Diane

4/5/2013 12:38:03 am

Bullhead has numerous large trees over the trail. We made it down yesterday but it was very difficult with packs and ponchos. Good luck!

Ken

4/4/2013 07:34:00 am

Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and great pictures each day. I sure do miss the mountains. One night many years ago at the top. Touched the stars.

Debnfl

4/4/2013 09:02:56 am

Awesome photos! Nothing compares with the beauty of nature and being right in the middle of it!!!

Leigh Miller

4/4/2013 10:14:03 am

Breathtaking!

4/4/2013 12:03:01 pm

We came down the Rainbow Fall Trails today and there is A LOT of water on trail...particularly below Rainbow Falls on the more heavily traveled portion. Be prepared to get muddy if you take that way tomorrow.

Debi

4/4/2013 01:17:47 pm

Thanks Allyson, I needed a new screen saver.

kelly

4/4/2013 10:13:26 pm

Ditto!

Rob

4/4/2013 02:08:50 pm

Hey good evening everyone. How do you think Alum cave will be tomorrow morning?We are trying to decide what trail to take up ( have done Rainbow falls) .We have good boots and kahtoola Spikes so traction should be good. My roomate and I made the drive from Nashville. Eager and ready to get lunch at the top.

4/4/2013 11:30:12 pm

Rob-Go for it, I hiked it the other day, if you have microspikes you should be fine. Have a great hike!

4/5/2013 12:34:45 am

Thanks Steve, enjoy your day as well! Leconte here we come.

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The Mountain We All Love

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