Architect's rendering of the newest building on Mount Le Conte Decades of guests have been welcomed to LeConte Lodge in a recreation hall and office built by Herrick Brown in the early 1970s. That's where hikers checked in, bought T-shirts, and gauged the frost-bitten thermometer. Each night after sunset, guests would gather inside for sing-a-longs. This fellowship was lost the last two seasons, as the cantilevered cabin fell victim to design and construction flaws and the to

Mount LeConte hiking records, compiled by Tom Layton (LeConteLog@gmail.com)

T.J. Melinn and Philip Elswick prepare to head up Cherokee Orchard Road. The vertical mile is a hiking challenge that involves climbing Mount Le Conte from the riverside in Gatlinburg. Hikers start by dipping a toe in the Little Pigeon RIver near Ripley's aquarium (elevation 1,313 or less) and then climb 5,280 feet to High Top. The typical route follows the Cherokee Orchard Road up to Rainbow Falls Trail. Bullhead and Trillium Gap offer alternative routes. Depending on the ro