Another successful handoff from starry night sky to soul-soothing sunrise to start this Tuesday atop East Tennessee. Conditions are cool, calm, and clear, making for what should be a fabulous fall day on the mountain. Skies should remain clear all day (and likely all week) with temps now set to swing between lower 50s during the day and upper 30s in the dark of night.
We’re entering a meteorological pattern now where everything around us screams October. Of the more obvious, the colors of the changing leaves between the upper to mid elevations hastens. The sweet and savory smells of summer flowers are long gone, replaced now by an occasionally offensive odor of decay as plants wilt and whither. More surprising to a number of folks will be the precipitous drop in temperatures depending on the time of day or approximate location (sun vs. shade), as well as the rapidly retreating daylight hours. These last points specifically can really put you in a bind if not taken seriously before heading out into the wilderness. The threat of hypothermia becomes a legitimate concern for anyone not adequately dressed for the conditions, especially when that sun drops below the horizon. And it’s easy to lose track of time while getting caught off guard by an ever earlier sunset.
Every visitor not spending the evening up here needs to calculate how much time they need to safely depart the summit and exit the park before nightfall. The sun sets around 7:00 PM now, and it takes the average hiker 3-4 hours just to descend the shortest trail, Alum Cave. Noting that it gets darker sooner in the tight hollers of the lower elevations, it becomes imperative to leave the top that much sooner. So at least by 3:00 PM present day, visitors flying solo or with a group, need to have already coordinated when and where to meet to begin that journey back down the mountain. Trying to navigate unfamiliar terrain in the dark without illumination while shivering can be an unnerving experience for many, and only increases the risk of injury. Thankfully, it’s all quite easily avoidable with decent preparation!
Have a great day.
Source link