Wednesday, January 29th, 2020

Good morning from your local snow globe,

Beyond ecstatic to wake up engulfed by snow yet again! Earlier this morning, clouds encased the mountain, concealing the surrounding land. At the moment, it is 26 degrees out, golden hues are burning through a thin layer of clouds. The mountain lie quiet, aside from the bickering crowd of crows on the back porch. The beautiful snow has not budged, as each individual tree is still heavily caked in white! Almost NINE inches around the lodge, and deep drifts along the upper portions of the trails. Snow tends to melt fairly quickly on LeConte, and direct sunlight greatly impacts melting time. With clouds predicted for the remainder of the day, this snow isn't going anywhere! Moody skies, the ultimate prize. Thin strands of clouds prevent the sun from depleting our precious snow, while giving us a dreary but clear view of the land! The perfect combo in my view. Looking at the forecast, it seems the clouds will stick around all day today, with a chance of snow again tonight. In the near future, chances of snow are predicted multiple times, and temps should hover below freezing until this Sunday. At this rate, we may not see the ground for quite some time! In other news, Highway 441/Newfound Gap Road is closed this morning due to ice. That being said, Alum Cave and the Boulevard trails are currently inaccessible. If you decide to hike up one of our other stellar trails, bring your skis (just joking, please don't try to ski. It will not end well)! A Thick blanket of elegant snow is covering the upper half of LeConte, and with temperatures hovering in the upper 20s, this snow shows no signs of melting. Traction is a huge problem on the steeper sections, so bring your best pair of snow boots and some thick socks! As I mentioned yesterday, staircases and step-ups are concealed by snow in some spots, which makes footing a challenge towards the top. To make matters worse, copious amounts of trees are down, blocking the path in various places across the mountain. Be sure to eat you Wheaties this morning, because this hike will require some extra muscle...

Looking back on yesterday, clear skies and sunshine dominated the first half of the day. The high was an exceptional 28 degrees, with a cozy low of 17. Around 3:30 p.m. mountain time, clouds began to crawl up from the valley, covering the once crystal blue sky. I was really looking forward to a snow-capped sunset, but the clouds had other plans. Just after sunset, the clouds thinned out, revealing a sneak peak of the inevitable sunset. Combinations of orange, pink and red coated each passing cloud, a true blessing to watch unfold....

​-Kemp

"Advice is like the snow. The softer it falls, the longer it dwells upon and the deeper it sinks into the mind.."

-Samuel Taylor Coleridge