Living in and visiting east Tennessee is mainly a pleasure, but sometimes the changing season of spring can be not so nice. It can go from 80 degree temps one day to highs in the 40's the next, from beautiful bright blue skies to nasty thunderstorms or even snow showers. Sometimes all these changes can happen in a single day, which always makes life at the heliport interesting.
After flying in and around these mountains for over 20 years I have seen a huge variety of weather conditions from the ground and air. Most of those have been quite beautiful and serene, but there have been those few times that the forces of nature have made me a better pilot and Christian! The best part of this changing season is the rebirth of our national treasure called the Smoky Mountains.
Starting at the lower elevations and moving up as the temperatures do the same the trees and shrubs bloom! The pears are first, with their white flowers, followed by the red buds and dogwoods. Everyone has had the pleasure of seeing these from the ground and they are equally impressive from above. But the really spectacular blooms come from the heath balds scattered throughout the park. These areas are dense patches of rhododendron, highbush blueberries, azaleas and mountain laurel that bloom in early to mid June, depending on their elevation.
To see these in full bloom is like looking at a floral arrangement placed on the side of the mountain! Pinks, purples, whites and occasionally oranges decorate the mountains for around one to two weeks in June and can not be fully described and done justice. If you are interested in getting a chance to see one of these balds just check in with us starting in early June.
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