Good Afternoon,
Just as predicted, yesterday was a slow crawl out of the rain and clouds, but as the afternoon pressed on, everyone’s patience and perseverance paid off with a beautiful evening and absolutely breathtaking sunset. One can witness inspiring sunsets all over the globe, but honestly, they pale in comparison to those we get to enjoy right here above East Tennessee. And thankfully, a great many dignitaries felt the same way 100 years ago when admiring a sensational solar spectacle from atop this majestic mountain. And as they say - for both the Lodge and shortly thereafter, the Park - the rest is history! The atmospheric clarity rode straight through the evening and well into today. Visitor traffic in the Smokies obviously took notice and was a bit busier today as folks flocked to frolic in the sunshine. Clouds will gradually thicken tonight and tomorrow morning. There is a slight chance for some rain come Friday afternoon. Temps will remain mild with 40s tonight and highs in the 50s tomorrow. Keep the extra later for staying dry and warm close by just in case. Have a great night.
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Good Morning,
After dreaming under a blindingly bright full moon, we are looking at a wet start to this Wednesday on the mountain, as light rain showers sweep across the region. The damp conditions aren’t expected to last long though, and should clear out this afternoon in time for clouds to thin and sunshine to return. It’ll remain cool up top today, and even if the thermometer reaches 50°, winds will be gusting up around 35mph, negating what little warmth the sun might afford us. So keep toting those additional layers, as summer sensations at our elevation are still a long ways off. Tomorrow is forecast to be slightly warmer and quite pleasant from sunup to sundown, which spans about 13.5 hours these days. We’re well into the time of year now where guests have ample time to digest a satisfying supper and relax before trodding up to Cliff Tops for sunset, as well as making the longer trek to Myrtle Point and back for sunrise before slurping down a savory breakfast. For others, spending that time snuggled up under a wool blanket after a warm meal is their calling, and up here that’s alright too. Have a great day. Good Morning,
A handful of clouds streak across the sky, but they aren’t expected to hang around long. The mountains are looking ahead to a sun-filled Tuesday, which should certainly draw in the ambitious hikers today. It’s another chilly morning around freezing once again but we should climb out of this frost advisory currently in effect very soon. A pleasant afternoon awaits as the summit should reach the mid 50s later. Although the air will be decently clear today (save for the pollen-filled haze swallowing the South), conditions will be a bit breezy with gusts up near 25mph. So continue to bring an extra layer or two for keeping that early spring chill at bay. Rain is forecast to make a return late this evening and linger into Wednesday morning before clearing by tomorrow afternoon. So guests staying tonight or hitting the trails tomorrow should have the gear for staying dry in tow. With just a week remaining in April, hard to believe we’ve already been open a month! Have a great day. Good Afternoon,
The higher peaks of the Smokies at long last witnessed seeing some flurries fly on Sunday, but thankfully they were unable to stick or create sketchy trail conditions for visitors. It’s substantially cooler today though, and we’ll be lucky to scrape 40°. Warm layers will be necessary despite the abundant sunshine today, and especially for tonight once the thermometer dips back down below freezing. We’ll get slightly higher readings in the coming days, and conditions will remain mostly pleasant in the mountains, but it won’t be like the heat wave we were all basking in last week. Prospective visitors to the lodge who regularly inquire as to what treats they can hike up for the crew - this next bit is for you. The crew candy bin is running sparse, specifically in the chocolate department, so we’re putting out an APB for the sweets. As always, the tasty and savory snacks are appreciated by our hard working crew, and they certainly thank anyone and everyone for their thoughtfulness and charity in toting some up. Have a great day. Good Morning,
Things are staying wet and green instead of icy and white for the moment. Temps across the higher elevations are lurking around the freezing mark, but the liquid precip continues to hold serve. Rain showers and thick clouds will remain a presence in the mountains early today with some partial clearing taking place later on. We are expecting to drop below freezing tonight, but hopefully the skies have cleared by then to keep roads and trails clear of any new slick hazards. After today, the coming week looks quite promising for sun-filled weather, but it will be cooler on average than what we’ve been enjoying recently. We’re talking temps in the 30s-50s most days, so have those extra layers handy if taking a break in the shade or for enjoying a famous Cliff Tops sunset. Expect park roads and gateway communities to still see some heavier than normal congestion as the various car-cruises wind down festivities today. Have a great day. Good Morning,
Well once we got through the early morning rains, the rest of the dreary forecast turned out to be all bark and no bite. So Friday ended up becoming a rather gorgeous day to spend time outdoors. The atmospheric threats continued to lessen as the hours passed and simply refused to materialize. Fine by us and our llamas! Even so, we aren’t out of the woods yet (figuratively, of course). Cloudy conditions have settled in over the mountains this morning, and a band of rain is working its way across East TN toward us. So come prepared for a spot of precip early on in one’s hike. After that, skies will remain mostly cloudy and temps will actually drop from upper 40s to lower 30s. A late addition to the forecast for tonight and Sunday is an unusual, but not unheard of, chance for SNOW! Whether we actually drop below the freezing mark tonight and tomorrow will make all the difference. Either way, folks will just have to wait in anticipation to see if the liquid precip turns solid at any point this weekend. Today kicks off National Park Week across the US, and as such, the NPS recognize April 20th as one of their select “fee free” days for visitors. Even though the Smokies lack an entrance fee year-round, this does make for an exemption to the parking tag fees today. Vehicles will need those tags on display though resuming tomorrow. And as we’ve mentioned throughout the week, the annual Rod Run and accompanying auto-events that take Sevier County by storm are on full throttle today and conclude tomorrow. Expect heavy traffic congestion in and around the park. Early starts, planning alternate routes, and packing the patience will go a long way for everyone. Have a great day. Good Morning,
As expected, the rain has arrived, making its presence known around sunrise. These stormy conditions are slated to be rolling through the region all day and night, so count on trails to a bit sloppy today. Temps will range from 40s to 50s, but between the rain and wind gusts near 30mph, that could feel quite chilly to anyone improperly outfitted for the conditions. Layers for staying dry will be a must today if one has hopes of scaling the mountain as comfortable as possible. Precip could linger into Saturday morning as clouds slowly transition over to sunnier skies tomorrow. Then the next round of wet weather makes an appearance on Sunday. If anything is enjoying the mix of warm temps and intermittent rains lately, it has to be the park’s flora. Wildflowers across the mid elevations are really popping now, and the greenery of the forest canopy is starting to thicken down low. Even a small patch of spring beauties has appeared outside our kitchen in recent days. It’s a drawn out process, but getting to watch the ascendance of spring up the mountain’s slopes is always magical to behold. Stay dry and have a great day. Good Afternoon,
A day full of sunshine makes for a day of getting stuff done outside. That “stuff” can be hours of grunt work, or it can justifiably be hanging out in a hammock swaying in the breeze. All of which make for a productive day on Mt. LeConte either way you cut it. We tagged the 60s once again today, and it feels glorious despite the unusual April conditions. Anybody who made good on tackling the mountain today chose wisely, because it looks like the weather will be less than delightful beginning tomorrow. Friday is calling for isolated showers and thunderstorms all day, so layers for staying dry will be a must. It’ll remain mild up top with temps in the 50s, but it’ll also be breezy at times. The weekend ahead will see a mix of clouds and scattered showers as well. Between that and the auto shows happening across Sevier County, it could make for a quieter than normal weekend in the Smokies. There have been numerous reports about trees down on Rainbow Falls, with stories varying as to the quantity, extent, and severity. After some thorough scouting, we can verify the true nature of the trail’s condition. There are twenty notable sections where a downed or leaning tree poses an inconvenience to hikers. Their locations range from not even a mile up the trail to the upper junction with Bull Head. The good news is that each of them can be safely navigated either by stepping over or ducking under. One section in particular a little over two miles down from the lodge was a nasty tangled mess giving hikers fits in recent months. That area is now easily navigable too after a trail wizard had their way with it. We have no timetable for when the NPS will attend to the trail and clear all the fallen trunks, but in the meantime, visitors to Mt. LeConte can use Rainbow Falls in confidence! Bull Head, though…best to continue to avoid. Have a great night. Good Morning,
Looking like a warm but windy day is ahead for the mountain. Clouds will obscure the sun much of today, with a chance for rain showers by midafternoon. Temps will likely scrape 60° once again while winds will gust upwards of 40mph. Light scattered showers could persist into the evening but should clear off in time for a pleasant and sunny Thursday. If a visit to the lodge is in your sights today, best to tackle the trails early instead of late, that way you can soak in the most views and avoid any possible precip. Reminder that now through the weekend will see a continual increase in vehicular traffic congestion, specifically around the Tennessee side of the park. Multiple auto-related events will be taking place beginning today in places like Townsend, Pigeon Forge, and Wears Valley. Historically, this can cause delays and backups throughout the northern gateway communities and on popular routes like Newfound Gap Road and Cades Cove within the park, especially if the weather is nice for pavement cruising. So proper planning and patience will go a long way for anyone scheduled for a visit to the mountains these next few days. Have a great day. Good Morning,
It was a good run, but our streak of sunny skies is about to receive some atmospheric action these next several days. Nothing major just yet, but the occasional rain shower might catch someone by surprise on trail. There’s some light precip working its way across East TN this morning, but it should move out before long and clouds will gradually thin. Going to be another warm day up top, as we should easily reach the mid 60s this afternoon. Should make for some delightful sun bathing later at places like Myrtle Point or Cliff Tops once conditions clear up. Come tonight, the rain chances return and will extend into Wednesday and beyond. So although you might need as many layers for keeping warm this week, you’ll definitely want gear for keeping dry. Have a great day. |
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
April 2024
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