What started out to be a beautiful day, ended with a symphony of thunder and lightning. The thunderstorms moved in and lasted for most of the afternoon and evening. It just goes to show how unpredictable the weather can be in the mountains. We have seen a lot of spring breakers who are completely unprepared for the elements. All I can say is be prepared for any type of weather in the spring. You never know what kind of surprises you will find in the backcountry. The temperature was pleasant yesterday. The high was 65 with a low of 45. It is currently raining. 
The first day of the season was a whirlwind. There were a lot of day hikers, shelter occupants, and guests out and about. Who could blame them? It was a fantastic day. The high yesterday was 60 degrees. I can't remember an opening day where I was wearing a short sleeve shirt and sandals. A girl could be spoiled with weather like that. I believe we are going to get a repeat performance today. That puts a smile on my face.
Photo by Chris Virden
"When I admire the wonders of a sunset or the beauty of the moon, my soul expands in the worship of the creator." - Mahatma Gandhi After spending the day getting ready for guests, the crew decided to enjoy a peaceful sunset. It is always a tranquil ending to a hectic day to just sit and breath in the rich colors and fading sun. Now, I am ready for the season to begin. 
Photo by Chris Virden
Alan is used to llama reigns, not mop buckets.
The crew has come back from their week of rest and play. They are ready for action. Time to get the cabins looking good for the first night of guests. The weather forecast is looking lovely for opening day. I am ready for the official start of the 2012 season.
 "For in the true nature of things, if we rightly consider, every green tree is far more glorious than if it were made of gold and silver. "- Martin Luther
The sound of thunder threatened us all day. The rain held off until after sunset. It was a bit chilly on the mountain, but I still found time to go for a little walk in the woods. It is great to see the Frasier fur saplings do so well. I could tell a difference in some of my favorite hiking areas. The trees seem to be a tad bit thicker. This is a great sign. I love returning to the mountain each spring to see what change is happening in the forest.  The weather was an explosion of sight and sound. We awoke to thunderstorms in the morning and went to bed with an amazing light show. The time in between storm fronts turned out to be a beautiful day. The high was 57 and we had blue skies for the better part of the day. The storms starting rolling in around sundown. It made for a spectacular lightning display.  
Yesterday was a great day to get out of camp and take a hike. Chris and I decided to check out Brushy mountain. I am glad I did. It was the perfect place for a picnic. The day started out cool and cloudy. As we hiked down in elevation, the sun came out and the clouds dispersed. 
We ran into our fellow LeConte crew member, Walt. He was hiking up the Brushy mountain trail. I was amazed at how many day hikers we saw on Brushy. I guess they had the same idea we did. 
The top of the Mt. LeConte warmed up to a comfortable 59 degrees. The low was 44. Today is moving in the direction of thunderstorms. You can hear the thunder rumbling as I type. I am glad I saved the big chore of resurfacing our kitchen floor for today. I don't think it would have been a good hiking day.
 For those of you who said the sun was heading our way, you were correct. The rain stopped and the sun peaked through the clouds. It made for a pleasant day around the lodge. I am sure all of the spring breakers appreciated the reprieve from the rain. The Smokies seems to be a popular destination for college kids on spring break. I am happy to see the kids enjoy the beauty this park has to offer.
The high yesterday was 45. The warm sun gave Chris a chance to do some maintenance on the llama troughs. We have to get them ready for the first trip of the season. If all goes according to plan, the llamas will make their first accent of 2012 on the 19th. Today is looking like a great day to take a break from chores and enjoy a hike. 
It is a dreary day at the lodge. The weather makes you want to curl up on a couch with a good book and a cup of hot chocolate. The rain is tapping on the roof and singing me a lullaby. The high yesterday was 55 with a low of 38. It is currently 44 and raining pretty hard. The weather man says it should blow out of here by this afternoon. We shall see.
Life is old there, older than the trees. Younger than the mountains. Growin' like a breeze3/12/2012
 It is an eerie feeling to walk around camp and not hear another soul. This is the first time, in my ten years on the mountain, that Chris and I are the only ones in camp. The wind is howling and there is a light drizzle hitting the windows. It is a good thing we have some indoor chores to keep us a busy. If you are thinking about hiking today, make sure you have a good set of rain gear and some extra dry clothes in your pack. I wouldn't wear anything that resembled wings, the wind might pick you up and carry you off the mountain.
Yesterday was a splendid day to experience what the park has to offer. Hikers enjoyed the beautiful blue sky, the song of the song sparrows, and the distinct scent of the fraser fir. One might think they entered a Christmas wonderland. The sun was out and warmed up the ground. Some hikers found patches of soft green grass to take a nap. The high yesterday was 58 with a low of 32. The current temperature is 37. |
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
February 2026
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