Mount LeConte   Date: January 18, 2003  Location: Great Smoky
Mountains National Park, Mount LeConte    Eight, Four, Two Pole
and Guest Marsh Wilkes set out from Two Pole's cabin early in
the AM with the porch thermometer reading a balmy 0 degrees upon
departure. Granny, Whiteman, Snowman, Bomber, Nena and Guest
Laura Pounders had stayed the night in the limelight of Pigeon
Forge and had enjoyed a warmer overnight temperature of around 9
degrees.We learn on the weather report that our destination for
the night, Mount LeConte, had and overnight temperature of only
-10 degrees and around 14 inches of snow. We also learn that all
roads in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park are closed due
to the snow.    We all knew that this would make for a two mile
longer hike of the mountain and more elevation gain, as we would
have to start from the locked gate near the park boundary. While
several made the trip to Tennessee, only the seasoned (or maybe
crazy) few set out on the hike up Tennessee's third highest peak
on