Mt. LeConte via The Boulevard - Great Smoky Mountains National Park 

As luck would have it, I found myself with a bit of "bench" time between project assignments.  Of course this means it's time to hit the backcountry!

I have made several trips to Mt. LeConte, the first of which was when I was 11 years old, spending a few nights at LeConte Lodge with family and friends.  For this trip, I decided to start from Newfound Gap, hike the Appalachian trail to the Boulevard junction, then on to Mt. LeConte shelter on the Boulevard trail.  The temperatures experienced in the highlands were a refreshing change from the heat in the valleys; highs in the upper 60s to low 70s and lows in the upper 40s to low 50s.

Appalachian Trail North at Newfound Gap. Elevation 5048 feet.				View of North Carolina from the Appalachian Trail. The misty views (non-views) were typical for most of the trip.
What is this thing about snapping pictures of trail signs? Whatever it is, I think it is universal...	Views from the Boulevard trail			Getting closer to the summit
		Mt. LeConte summit, 6593 feet (plus 7 feet?). Admirers of this mountain are piling rocks in an attempt to exceed the height of the Smokies tallest peak, Clingmans Dome.	Views along the trail from the summit toward the shelter
Mt. LeConte shelter. The LeConte Lodge is about .3 miles down the trail.	Views from the Cliff Tops at Mt. LeConte		LeConte Lodge	Locals, dining outdoors.