re: First Snow of the Season in the Southeast

I stayed at the LeConte Lodge many years ago in May. Made reservation a year in advance- mid week reservations are a bit easier to obtain.

I actually stayed there a second time in the Spring without a reservation. I was prepared to stay in a bear shelter nearby for the night. However, knowing that the staff at the lodge rarely had fresh fruits and other special treats, I carried a nice selection of those in my backpack and arrived early enough to check for cancellations. Lucked up, they had one,and unloaded my fresh fruit and other hard to obtain treats on the staff in appreciation!

The food served at the lodge is very good. The views are great. It's an overall great fun experience.