Gatlinburg, TN (WOKI) – Great Smoky Mountains National Park has scheduled another round of helicopter airlifts this week as work continues to remove materials from the former LeConte Lodge Recreation Building atop Mount Le Conte.
Park officials say the airlifts are planned for October 6 through October 9, with helicopter operations expected to take place daily between 9 a.m. and noon. However, officials note that weather conditions could delay flights or require operations to continue beyond the scheduled window.
If poor weather prevents the work from being completed during those dates, the park has set aside October 10 through October 12 as contingency dates.
The airlifts are part of an ongoing project to remove debris and materials from the recreation building, which was recently demolished after years of deterioration. The structure, originally built between the late 1960s and early 1970s, served as a gathering place for overnight guests at LeConte Lodge for more than five decades.
According to the park, constant exposure to harsh weather conditions at the mountain’s high elevation caused extensive deterioration that could not be repaired safely. Officials determined the building needed to be removed before a replacement structure could be constructed.
Visitors traveling along U.S. 441/Newfound Gap Road should anticipate temporary traffic delays near the Oconaluftee Overlook, located just south of Newfound Gap, while helicopters load and unload materials.
Safety restrictions will also affect hikers visiting Mount Le Conte. LeConte Lodge will be closed during the airlift windows, preventing access to the lodge’s gift shop, restrooms, water spigots, and food and beverage services. Those facilities will reopen after daily flight operations conclude.
While the lodge area will be restricted, hikers will still be able to use trails and overlooks around the mountaintop. Park staff will station flaggers at several locations near the lodge to temporarily stop hikers during active helicopter flights.
Because the nearby Mount Le Conte Shelter remains closed due to bear activity, visitors may use a composting privy in the area. Water is available from a nearby spring on Trillium Gap Trail, although park officials recommend treating or boiling water before drinking it.
Once demolition and removal work are complete, the National Park Service plans to construct a new recreation building that maintains the character and tradition of the original structure, continuing its role as a central gathering place for lodge guests visiting one of the most iconic destinations in the Great Smoky Mountains.
