Warmer Weather = Melting Snow

11/3/2012

Another day is upon us. The sky is coming alive with color. The forecast is calling for warmer temperatures and sunshine. That is always good news when you are staring at 3 feet of snow. Yesterday helped a bit. The snow is melting off the trees which should help the rhodo situation on the trails. The high yesterday was 35 with a low of 19. This means the snow is melting on the trails and then freezing at night. I highly recommend using some sort of traction device on your shoes. It will make your hiking experience much more pleasurable.

Survivors of Snowmageddon 2012. These are the guests that stayed with us for three nights due to weather conditions. You notice after three days, they are still smiling.

Trail Updates:

Rainbow Falls Trail - This is still going to be the best bet. The trail is packed down. You will find it becoming slushy as the weather warms up. Most people hiked up Rainbow yesterday.

Trillium - A few folks have come up Trillium. It is still going to be slow going. There are trees down along the way.

Alum Cave Trail - I had guy staying in the shelter who made it up Alum. He said it was tricky. There are areas around the cables that have big snow drifts. There are no cables to hold on to. They are buried in snow and below your feet. I am still recommending hikers to NOT use this trail.

Bullhead - No one has been out that trail.

Boulevard - Do Not Attempt

Linda M

11/3/2012 01:07:21 am

Beautiful pictures (as usual) along with some great advise! Couldn't ask for anything more.

betsyPA

11/3/2012 01:44:44 am

man that group that got stranded for three nights will have some great stories!!! I am a wee bit jealous

Gina

11/3/2012 02:10:25 am

Ditto!

Brad G.

11/3/2012 02:16:43 am

Jealous!

Dan and Kathie Quisenberry

11/3/2012 04:47:05 am

We're jealous too. We would have loved being "stuck" at the top of Mt. LeConte enjoying all that beauty.

Rod R

11/3/2012 08:49:50 am

Agreed! I'd be smiling too, if I found myself truly snowed in at LeConte Lodge for several days. It sounds perfect to me. You can't buy adventure like that just anywhere!!!

Ken T

11/3/2012 10:11:49 am

ME TOO !!

H Clark

11/3/2012 01:58:03 am

Thank you for the complete trail update. Just read a story on Yahoo regarding an AT thru-hiker rescued between Pecks Corner and the Tricorner shelters.

Rebecca Moore

11/3/2012 02:06:33 am

What an awesome place to be safely stranded for extra days!!!

Tony Ga

11/3/2012 02:15:19 am

Headed out for our Saturday morning run thinking about all the lucky souls hiking to the top of LeConte. Enjoy your day.

11/3/2012 02:19:00 am

Wow, I so wish we could get up there this weekend! Unfortunately, life & responsibilities prevent it, but thank God, we can live vicarious through your wonderful posts and pictures! The photos are superb and gorgeous. Thank you for the trail update information. How I long to be back on any and all of them.

Bill

11/3/2012 02:28:50 am

We're hiking up tomorrow and can't wait.

doug

11/3/2012 02:30:43 am

The photo says volumes. The beauty of the mountain, the ice, the snow, and the depth of the snow. I must add my feelings to those of others who are a bit jealous of those who were "stranded" at the lodge ! Enduring such a hardship in monumental ! I wish I had been one of them !! It remains to be seen just how long the snow and ice will remain on the ground. Enjoy !

Robert Geer

11/3/2012 02:34:12 am

Do you know the time it took to come up Alum?

Stephen

11/3/2012 03:31:04 pm

I talked to 2 today at the office that said the made it up Alum. They were doing a day hike as I did but I was using rainbow falls trail. They said they started early and they were at lodge at 12:30 to 1 pm. So I guess time is around 5 to 6 hrs

Robin

11/3/2012 02:37:25 am

I'm enjoying reading your post and seeing your beautiful pics..

Bonnie Self

11/3/2012 02:52:14 am

I was wondering what kind of camera you are using for the photos? They are gorgeous!

Pat N.

11/3/2012 02:53:15 am

What a delight to see and feel the sun on your faces. Great pictures, Allyson! Just talked to a friend that drove bumper-to-bumper past Alum parking lots. Many are out enjoying the gorgeous views...color iced with white. She said cars in lot are covered with 4 ft. of snow...I'm sure you knew that. Enjoy the day. Nice to see smiles on the faces of your guests.

Tilman

11/3/2012 05:00:35 am

An A. T. "thru" hiker, in early Nov !? Thru the Park or the entire A.T. ? I wonder which direction he was hiking in ? Must be a real man if he was attempting the entire trail ! Nice photos.

11/3/2012 05:24:56 am

The hiker began his trip from Maine in June. He was rescued on Friday. Not sure which day he entered the park, but snow was probably accumulating on the trail at that time.

Sam

11/3/2012 05:09:06 am

We are heading up on Monday and are so excited! Have enjoyed the pictures and posts the last few days. See you on Monday!

Brian N bama

11/3/2012 05:33:41 am

WOO HOO! in less than one week I will once again be on top of that glorious mountain. Hopefully hopefully, Alum will be cleared up some by next friday. I really want to come up it, but if Allyson says not too, I will not use it. Sorry about the big snow fall too, I was wishing for nov 9th and it came 2 weeks early. : )

Audie

11/3/2012 12:54:53 pm

Brian, I will be two days behind you, this will be my first time up. I'm counting down the days!!!

Debi link

11/3/2012 08:45:33 am

Right after we got up there Aug 5th we got the most rain of the season. We were lucky to get in before the major down pour. But those lucky standed "Poor" hikers, (boo hoo) lol. I would give some eye teeth to be standed for 3 days in any kind of weather up there. That is just awsome.
Allyson, your first pic really hurts my eyes to look at. That sunshine is bright and beautiful. Brian, I'm sure all 3 feet of that snow won't melt for you. I just hope its not a sloppy slushy mess for your wife. We had a tad bit of snow this morn A few flakes. And the back deck was a bit icy, Of course I was outside bearfoot running around. Grabbing the table off the back deck for the inlaws 50th tonight.
Lifes good, love the pictures, stay safe and try to stay warm.

11/3/2012 10:00:54 am

She should be ok, I bought her a new pair of Vasque breeze GTX hikers a few months back. She got her some bib snow pants a few nights ago. It can't be as sloppy as when we came down trillium this past April in a monsoon (with shoddy rain gear no less) so this time, she is prepared.

DannyH

11/3/2012 01:19:15 pm

Warmed up to 75 yesterday in s.e. Tn valley. The 3 feet snowfall must be keeping temp down on LeConte Mt. I hiked Alum trail in November couple years ago and was snow/ice on the upper part of trail in which I slipped on ice falling thru rodos on my back with backpack cushioning my fall. It had snowed 8 inches the week before in which most had melted. I think it will take long time to melt 3 feet of snow off Alum Cave trail!

Sue

11/3/2012 01:29:18 pm

Your snow photos are absolutely beautiful!!!

Ada

11/3/2012 01:31:31 pm

I and my hiking buddy JJ made it to Mt Leconte today (up and then down). It was awesome. We made it safe. It tok us 4 hrs 14 up and 4 hrs down. Great hike but lots of snow melted and we did not see what you see on today's picture (on the blog). There were some trees covered in snow but not too many. It was still magnificent!

Jon

11/3/2012 02:08:18 pm

Ada, Which trail? Snow packed?Thank you

11/3/2012 02:34:47 pm

Jon,
We did Rainbow Falls (RF). It was not bad at all (at least for me). On the way there snow was frozen. We saw snow even we've got to RF. Last 0.6 of a mile was the most difficult but not terrible. However in the last section there was a lot of snow, packed snow and very narrow path. If you are prepared and plan well you will be safe and you will enjoy your journey. Best wishes!

11/3/2012 03:31:46 pm

Oh, the trail got slushy on the way bay(higher elevations) and wet (lower elevations).

Marilyn M,(Tim's mom

11/3/2012 03:08:49 pm

Love the beautiful pics. Enjoy reading all the comments too. I'm glad the rainbow trail is good. I think my son was going to take that trail up today. Haven't heard from him this afternoon but he was well prepared so I'm sure he is alright. He is lead guitar in a local band, Sunshine Station.(had to brag about that.) :)

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Warmer Weather = Melting Snow

LeConte Lodge

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