_Morning, I apologize for not posting yesterday. I was having trouble with the internet connection during the morning storm. We had some severe winds on Christmas night and received 1.70" of rain. The high was 41 degrees and the low reached 31 degrees. It was 36 degrees and raining hard at 7am observation. I saw a big buck while I was coming up the Bullhead trail yesterday. He was the largest animal I've seen above the Old Sugarlands trail. Fittingly, on the one day I couldn't find my camera! I heard him crawling up through the brush, thinking I'd perhaps see a Smokey Mountain Bear. As he bound onto the trail, I counted 8 points on his antlers. We had that unique and sacred animal interaction when we locked eyes. I forgot who I was for the minute he was sizing me up and then he gracefully lept over a few blowdowns. I followed his prints for about another mile, doing my best not to step on any sticks but move quickly enough to see him again. It was magical. _The high yesterday reached 36 degrees. The low was 13 degrees. It was 18 degrees and clear at observation. The mountain received 2 inches of new snow! It's an absurdly gorgeous day up here. The colours during sunrise were phenomenal, a gentle pink lighting up the inversion clouds. There is plenty of stunning hoarfrost coating the trees. It looks as though I could walk a little ways down the Alum Cave trail and continue on the clouds towards Clingman's Dome. It's been my most spectacular morning thus far. _I'll be taking a few days off the mountain to visit with a friend in Knoxville. I'll be back up on the evening of the 29th. There'll be a few 'relief caretakers' up here to watch the place. My next posting will be on the morning of the 30th. Enjoy the holiday week!
Mamaw B
12/27/2012 01:46:07 am
Sorry I missed all that beauty you're enjoying today. It was a great Christmas and thanks to all of you.
JT mobile al
12/27/2012 06:07:33 am
Mamaw enjoyed your A T writings . Do you have any other hikes planned ? Any news on Rainbow ? Thanks
Marilyn
12/27/2012 01:53:25 am
Welcome back, if only briefly. Picture #2 looks like a whole flock of snow-white sheep! Sorry you didn't get any of the snow Indiana did. Some places here have 18 inches! Here in Kokomo we only had about 6 or 7 inches and the plow have already cleaned it off the streets but kids have been sledding at one of our city parks and people are out on snow skis. Enjoy your time with you Knoxville friend. Will look forward to continuation of posts on the 30th.
Sam
12/27/2012 03:26:01 am
JP, beautiful pictures this morning, I enjoy my little "excursion" each day to Mt LeConte's website to enjoy your posting's and pictures. Have an enjoyable break to Knoxville and I will be looking forward to your return.
Barbara B
12/27/2012 04:22:23 am
Beautiful ! enjoying LeConte from my office desk : ) thanks 12/27/2012 07:22:42 am
What would be a better way to welcome the New Year than being there right now? I do not know the answer, if there is one.
Debi
12/27/2012 11:08:08 am
Beautiful pics today JP. I was wondering where you were. Missed those daily pics.
Brian N bama
12/28/2012 02:17:16 am
Wow, I just had a first. Just spent 3 days in the Smokies without hiking up to Leconte. I will see you soon ole mountain. Christmas in the smokies with the family..PRICELESS!!!
Debi
12/28/2012 11:03:22 am
Wow Brain!! Break your leg??? Yeah, u still had a priceless Christmas being down there. Merry Christmas Brian and family.
Tim Massey
12/28/2012 01:24:21 pm
I thought i saw you at walgreens on N Peters Rd. today around 2:30 pm today. Thinking "Hmm, whats he doing off the mountain, is that really JP?" Haha! Ok, maybe i won't go up this weekend then to say hey. Enjoy your days in town!
JP
12/31/2012 01:10:09 am
Tim, Comments are closed.
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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
January 2025
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