Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Newfound Gap road closed indefinitely after landslide washes road away
wate.com ^ | 1/16/2013

Posted on 01/20/2013 7:32:44 AM PST by Aquamarine

Newfound Gap which is the main thoroughfare connecting Gatlinburg and Cherokee N.C., through the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, is closed indefinitely.

(Excerpt) Read more at wate.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: smokymtns
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-27 next last
This well traveled road through the Smoky Mtns people use to get to their vacation destination was destroyed by over 8 inches of rain a few days ago.
1 posted on 01/20/2013 7:32:56 AM PST by Aquamarine
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Aquamarine
Same thing happened by us during Hurricane Irene. Took the park service 14 months to reopen the road. Despite being a main road, their was a mountain of red tape and nobody deviated in order to do what was right. After this, I don't feel the park service should have any jurisdiction on what could be considered a main road.
2 posted on 01/20/2013 7:48:11 AM PST by RBW in PA
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Aquamarine

That is one twisty-turny switchback laden road.


3 posted on 01/20/2013 7:48:44 AM PST by Rebelbase
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: RBW in PA

their = there


4 posted on 01/20/2013 7:49:13 AM PST by RBW in PA
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: RBW in PA

They should be motivated to repair this road quickly since it gets about nine million visitors annually. Although it will be a challenge, the whole side of the mountain in that section is gone.


5 posted on 01/20/2013 8:32:38 AM PST by Aquamarine
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: RBW in PA

-——90,000 cubic yards——

Well..... they threw away the style book and gave a meaningful measure. They gave the quantity in Volume rather than weight, tons.

There may be hope in the land of the presstitutes


6 posted on 01/20/2013 8:41:10 AM PST by bert ((K.E. N.P. N.C. +12 .....The fairest Deduction to be reduced is the Standard Deduction)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Aquamarine

Harrah’s immediately sent out an email blast notifying their customers of an alternative route. I thought that was a pretty good idea on their part. Although, I guess most customers already know of alternate routes to Cherokee ;)


7 posted on 01/20/2013 8:42:51 AM PST by TennesseeGirl
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Aquamarine

For the record, we had 6 inches of rain in just a few days. The mountains get more, the volume of running water was great.


8 posted on 01/20/2013 8:43:09 AM PST by bert ((K.E. N.P. N.C. +12 .....The fairest Deduction to be reduced is the Standard Deduction)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: RBW in PA

We got one of these in the Sierras.

“washed out”, and marked as closed by the forest service.

So one day, at least 10 years later, I drove up it, just to see the wash out, and see what enterprising 4-wheelers have done to overcome the problem.

Well, the road is blocked with a locked gate (best quality, govt gate). I’m sure some private property owners up the road have a key, there were fresh tracks going through.

So this is carry-over from the roadless initiative. Keeping us out of our forests.


9 posted on 01/20/2013 9:00:48 AM PST by Scrambler Bob ( Concerning bo -- that refers to the president. If I capitalize it, I mean the dog.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Aquamarine

Newfound Gap is an appropriate name, I guess.


10 posted on 01/20/2013 9:08:31 AM PST by married21
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Aquamarine

My poor mountains! I’driven up and over 100’s of times. Well iam sure the mtns will recover quickly.
Bet Harrah’s wont like this one little bit....


11 posted on 01/20/2013 9:16:38 AM PST by Adder (No, Mr. Franklin, we could NOT keep it.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Aquamarine

A few years ago, a flood washed out two roads here. It was just a matter of days before they were repaired. Of course, this is Texas and both were just this much shy of the park road so less gov hassle.


12 posted on 01/20/2013 9:17:16 AM PST by bgill (We've passed the point of no return. Welcome to Al Amerika.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: bgill

If you’d driven this road, you’d know repair will not be easy or quick. Many sections have blasted rock on one side and a guardrail between you and at least several hundred feet down on the other. The failed roadbed there slid a thousand feet down.

It’s a beautiful drive, even in winter. Very impressive aqua blue icicles on those rock faces, thirty, forty feet long. The sun never hits them.

Driving with the cloud cover below you like a white ocean is an unusual thing in the east.


13 posted on 01/20/2013 9:32:58 AM PST by RegulatorCountry
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: Aquamarine

14 posted on 01/20/2013 10:25:05 AM PST by rawhide
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Aquamarine
That Dog Don't Hunt...

the landslide is around the length of a football field and 45-50 feet deep. The slide is still active and an assessment team, made up of Park Staff and Federal Highways employees, observed debris continuing to fall.


15 posted on 01/20/2013 10:27:56 AM PST by HangnJudge
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: RegulatorCountry
This will hurt the tourism in that area. Everyone south of the Smokies take this scenic route to Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge during Valentine’s Day and Spring Break.
16 posted on 01/20/2013 10:30:28 AM PST by Aquamarine
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: Aquamarine
There is also one less alternative route. A landslide on the NC side of the Cherohala Skyway has closed that route indefinately. A 150 foot section of road slid 900 feet down the mountainside during heavy rain last week. So far, I-40 between Tennessee and North Carolina has held up to the heavy rain and snow, but it has a history of major rock slides after these kinds of rain events.
17 posted on 01/20/2013 10:36:20 AM PST by backtobasics
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Tennessee Nana

Kerping ... thought you might want to see this.


18 posted on 01/20/2013 10:40:06 AM PST by MHGinTN (Being deceived can be cured.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Aquamarine

I guess they can go up the back through Chattanooga and in on the TN side, or veer over to 40 past Waynesville, into TN and down, but that route has issues of it’s own with landslides.. How many miles would that add, fifty at least? Much less scenic. Whover brought up Harrah’s is right, Cherokee will be singing the blues until it’s repaired.


19 posted on 01/20/2013 10:48:27 AM PST by RegulatorCountry
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: Aquamarine

Claim there’s gold in the dirt.
Get Parker Schnabel down there and he will have it excavated in a week.

(watch Gold Rush?)


20 posted on 01/20/2013 10:51:51 AM PST by Vinnie (A)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-27 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson