March 13, 2022 – High On LeConte

Good Morning,

Winter came back with a vengeance yesterday, reminding us all just how dominant a force it can be in these parts this time of year. One might have thought spring was here to stay after such a string of pleasant days up through Friday. ‘Twas not to be.

Saturday on Mt. LeConte by the numbers: high temp of 9° that steadily dropped to -4° during the night. Total snow accumulation of 10”, made nearly impossible to gauge with such persistent drifting, over a foot in numerous places. We never quite got the intense winds that were predicted, but even max gusts of 30mph put the wind chill factor around -30° at times. Even with propane heaters and layers of blankets, this type of cold serves as a reminder why the lodge is still closed during the winter.

Yesterday’s weather presented plenty of challenges for our team as they prepare for the upcoming airlift resupply. It didn’t take long for shoveling to become a fool’s errand once the winds arrived. It made for a worthy opportunity to tackle the first of several indoor cleaning tasks where at least one could stay warm and sheltered. Our mountain played host to the last cloud in the sky, eventually lifting just after sunset. The moon and stars against the fresh snow, combined with the shimmering city lights below, gave the lodge grounds a white glow. Today should be sunny and beautiful, with temps rising back up above freezing. As long as flying can kickstart on Monday, we’ll have a lot of prepping to do outside today. No time to waste!

US 441 (Newfound Gap Rd) and Cherokee Orchard Rd above Twin Creeks remain temporarily closed because of the hazardous conditions.

Have a great day.