Thursday, February 6th, 2020

Top of the morning from your local mountain refugee,

Trying my best to stay afloat this morning, heavy rainfall shows no signs of letting up! Right now, it is currently 43 degrees outside, with relentless rain and wind hounding the outside walls of the kitchen. The sound of pillaging rain goes in one ear and out the other, while occasional cracks of thunder fill the air. Looking at LeConte Lodge from a falcon's perspective, we are nestled between two peaks that climb over 6,500 feet. That being said, the water rushes down from each slope and conveniently meets at the lodge, creating a temporary network of swelled creeks and tributaries. The iconic "LeConte Cascades" momentarily forms at the front steps of the dining room, which in turn circumnavigates the kitchen and splits between crew quarters. Heavy rain is predicted until this evening, with a possible transition to snow towards the top! Judging by the harsh, wet conditions we are undergoing up here, I can only assume that creeks and tributaries down below are fairly high. Every single trail leading to Mount LeConte's surreal summit has at least one creek crossing, whether it be bridged or un-bridged. The pathways that creep up the North side of the mountain are the most concerning, mainly the Rainbow Falls and Trillium Gap trails. Some sections cross the creek with no bridge, usually consisting of a easy "rock hop" to the other side. After receiving 0.95" of rain two days ago and (get ready for it) a whopping 4.05" yesterday, water levels could be dangerously high in some areas. Some spots on Alum Cave could also be potentially dangerous, so it might be a smart idea to wait until this monsoon decides to let up! If you have the courage to hike up the mountain today, bring a pool noodle and a life jacket! Water-logged trails make for a soggy day out in these mountains, so bring your favorite rain coat and some good boots!

Yesterday's high was a gracious 46 degrees, with a not-so low of 40. After enduring approximately 5.00" of rain over the past 36 hours, I can only imagine what those waterfalls down below look like! Heavy rainfall occurred consistently throughout the day, getting worse after nightfall. I awoke to a loud thundering echo early this morning, and heard several more afterwards. About 99% of the snow has melted, with small patches in hard-to-reach areas. Water began to cascade aggressively down the mountain at around noon yesterday, and hasn't stopped since. Keep in mind, the "Flash Flood Warning" that was issued yesterday morning is still in effect. Copious amounts of rain is expected for the remainder of the day, so the threat level will rise as more rain persistently falls. No roads have been closed as of right now, so all trails leading to the summit of LeConte are accessible. With this flash flood warning in effect, use extreme caution around creeks and tributaries. High water levels can make some areas of the trail impassible, so you might want to consider hiking another day...

Keeping a close eye on the upcoming weather forecast, the approaching snow is looking more and more promising! Like I mentioned earlier, heavy periods of rain will occur throughout the day, with little to no remorse. Later tonight, the never-ending rain could transition into heavy snow! The alleged snow will be accompanied by freezer-like temperatures (below 20 degrees), and is thought to continue until Saturday afternoon! Serious accumulation is possible tonight and tomorrow if conditions favor, which means a road closure is possible. If you are planning a trip to the gem of the Great Smoky Mountains, make sure you are informed. Whether it be current weather conditions, future weather predictions, and/or road closures, the information is readily available. Road closures and other useful tidbits of information are uploaded regularly to the "smokiesroadsnps" Twitter page. In addition, multiple weather sources are available for Mount LeConte, with "Mountain-Forecast" being the most reliable. The Smoky Mountains are subject to harsh weather on many occasions, so be sure to check the current and future conditions prior to leaving. Certain predicaments can be truly inhospitable, so you may have to plan accordingly. Be safe out there folks! Use your best judgement, and try to stay dry...

​-Kemp

"When a flood submerges the whole country, no raindrop may feel responsible..."

-Erik Pevernagie