mt. leconte?

[stilllookin]

Has anybody stayed at the shelter at mt. Leconte? Is it usually crowded. Thinking about going up one day this week and stay all night.

 

[Buzzard Breath]

Leconte Lodge? Better call for reservations before going.

http://www.lecontelodge.com/reservations/

It stays booked almost a year in advance.

 

[stilllookin]

They have a shelter besides the cabins that doesnt require reservation. I think.

 

[Buzzard Breath]

I didn't realize they had a shelter till I pulled out my map just now (spent the day hiking in the park, so it was sitting out). All backcountry sites and shelters require a reservation now. You can check the availability from here.

https://smokiespermits.nps.gov/index.cf ... itTypeID=1

I would think a weekday would be pretty open. But, I've been wrong before.

Edit: looks to have room for 1 Mon, Wed & Thursday next week

 

[stilllookin]

Thanks. Never been there. Would love to stay at lodge. But that takes some planning to get in there.I was curious as to how safe and clean the shelter would be.

 

[TheLBLman]

I was curious as to how safe and clean the shelter would be.

I've never stayed at that one, just walked by it a few times. As these thing go, it appeared cleaner than most, and is probably safer than most due to its proximity to LeConte Lodge.

Just keep in mind you'd typically be sharing your sleeping quarters with strangers (and bears). It would not be "as safe" as having your own bedroom in one of the lodge cabins.

Although the bears may be thought of much like overgrown raccoons, scavenging at night, I've heard more than one person talk about waking up to a bear's breath in their face (and it wasn't the stranger beside them). Rarely do the bears actually harm anyone, just may scare you.

In all respects, would be much safer if you had at least one friend doing this with you. But it's probably safer to stay there by yourself than to walk by yourself across downtown Knoxville.

 

[Buzzard Breath]

Although the bears may be thought of much like overgrown raccoons, scavenging at night, I've heard more than one person talk about waking up to a bear's breath in their face (and it wasn't the stranger beside them). Rarely do the bears actually harm anyone, just may scare you.

In all respects, would be much safer if you had at least one friend doing this with you. But it's probably safer to stay there by yourself than to walk by yourself across downtown Knoxville.

I spend a decent amount of time in the backcountry of the Smokies. I can sometimes hear them rummaging around the campsite. Usually they are digging up the fire pit from where previous backpackers unsuccessfully tried to burn their garbage. Only once have I been truly scared. During a thunderstorm, with lots of lightning (that alone had me scared), I had a bear stick its nose under my rainfly and sort of snort like it was trying to get a big whiff of me. This was just inches from my face. It left me alone after than. Needless to say, I didn't get much any sleep the rest of the night.

I don't fear bears, but have a healthy respect for them. If you take the proper precautions, I feel a person can safely camp in the park. Safer than crossing Gay Street.

I personally would rather sleep in a tent than a shelter. The shelter holds 12 people and when booked, You'll be sleeping shoulder to shoulder with 11 stranger. Not to mention, these things are mice havens.

 

[stilllookin]

Well I got lucky. Called about last minute cancellations at the lodge and got a cabin. Now if everything goes well we'll be staying there saturday night.now I can take one thing off my bucketlist.Im pumped for this one. FYI they had another cancellation for this night.

 

[Buzzard Breath]

Well I got lucky. Called about last minute cancellations at the lodge and got a cabin. Now if everything goes well we'll be staying there saturday night.now I can take one thing off my bucketlist.Im pumped for this one. FYI they had another cancellation for this night.

That is awesome!!! Talk about a stroke of luck. Have a good trip and lets see some pictures when you get back.

 

[stilllookin]

Roger that.

 

[TheLBLman]

Now if everything goes well we'll be staying there saturday night.

Well, did everything go well? Bears? Pics?

Did anyone let that silly squirrel into your cabin?

 

[stilllookin]

Great hike. Everything was awesome!!! Have beautiful pics if I can get them on here. Just glad we made it down before the storm hit. I heard that someone fell sunday afternoon and rangers stayed with them all night in the storm. I guarantee that was a nightmare in that storm. I would recommend this trip.

 

[Brisco Darlin]

yeah saw it on news. some guy fell at the alum cave bluff trail. that's a rough area to have to haul someone out of.

 

[TheLBLman]

that's a rough area to have to haul someone out of.

Especially the case if he was any higher up than those Alum Cave Bluffs! Starts getting steep about there. Actually think he was near the lodge.

Someone told me they tried unsuccessfully to get a chopper near him, but was too foggy. He was apparently in a lot of pain.