In March 2005 I hiked to the summit of Mount LeConte in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park with Sam Baucom. When we started the hike we were not much higher than Gatlinburg. Of course over the duration of the hike you gain almost a vertical mile. At the start the temperatures were in the high 50s and there was no snow on the ground, and there was no threat of snow. By the time we hit the summit at 6,593 feet above sea level, there was well over a foot of just-fallen snow on the ground. And it was cold as hell up there. Well below freezing.
They don't call the heights of the Smokies "the Canadian Zone" for nothing.
Sam took this one of me as we were leaving the summit. I enjoy hiking in fresh snow. It was still snowing just a tad as we left the peak.
I took this one as we approached the top of the mountain. Not far from this point you break out in the area where LeConte Lodge is located.
I'm pretty sure that this is the highest outhouse in the eastern USA. It's at around 6,400 feet above sea level or so. Maybe a little higher.
Part of the LeConte Lodge complex. You can only get here via hiking. Still, there aren't many places like this in the eastern USA, so it's very popular and hard to get a room. I've been trying for years but I can never find a vacancy when I have a day off.
Good ol' Bob at Myrtle Point near the top of LeConte. It was dreadful cold up there, but I took off my jacket and cap for this quick photo before I could freeze.
The view from where I was standing.
All of that freshly fallen snow was nothing but eye candy.
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