Blue Ridge Parkway On Ice – Photos / Video

With all the snow and cold weather we’ve had this winter, riding the motorcycle has been only a dream. This afternoon, we headed up to the Blue Ridge Parkway to enjoy it in full winter glory.

An ice storm hit last night. Damage was extensive.

While “Snowmageddon” hit Washington we were largely spared it’s fury in the high mountains of western North Carolina. We picked up a few more inches here and there to what was already a significant accumulation. What we did get with this storm was ice. You can see the trees bent over from the weight of it.

Photo - skiing the parkway

Cross country skiing on the highest sections of the Blue Ridge Parkway

For those of us who live here, the Blue Ridge Parkway becomes our winter playground when it closes for the colder season. This section has seen park service traffic to maintain a communications tower. It made for nice skiing.

Jackie Skiing

When the snow is good, the skiing here is great

We started at Wagon Road Gap where US 276 and the Parkway meet at on of the highest crossings. From there, we headed east towards Asheville.

Ice was bringing down trees the whole time we were out.

The coating of rhyme ice, while beautiful, was causing extensive damage. The surroundings were filled with the almost constant sound of limbs and even entire trees breaking from the weight of the ice. Large branches lay everywhere. In places, every tree had been snapped and I saw none higher than about 12 feet, their tops broken off. A hike in the woods would be deadly.

Heavy ice coats and brings down surrounding trees.

We skied as far as the Pisgah Inn near Mount Pisgah passing through the Frying Pan Tunnel. Along the way we ran into a convoy of rangers hauling in equipment to repair the communications tower which must have been damaged by the storm or its aftermath.

Jackie approaches the Frying Pan Tunnel.

Being one of the highest and most rugged sections of the Blue Ridge Parkway, there are more tunnels in this area than any other. Most are not very long, like this one, though the majority are curved. This is a spectacular scenic area in summer. What a contrast and compliment in winter.

The group pauses to take off skis to walk through the tunnel.

The nice thing about this route is it’s a very gentle climb from Wagon Road Gap to Mount Pisgah. Up hill on the way out, but downhill on the way back. Skiing takes on a whole new aspect when you change from uphill to downhill.

Wayne makes up some time on the downhill sections.

By the time we reached the Pisgah Inn it was shrouded in thick cloud and I couldn’t get any close up photos of it or Mt.Pisgah. The inn is closed of course, though the joke of the day was getting a beer and a meal once we reached it.

The Pisgah Inn seen from distance.

Few people ever see the Blue Ridge Parkway like this. It is admittedly a rare occurrence in recent times, at least until this year. Now it’s to the point we look at this a realize just how much snow has already melted and remember how deep it once was. We’ve not had ice like this though, and it will be spring before we realize just how much impact it had.

Wayne, the author,makes the most of a snowy winter

My wife shot some video of our excursion and posted it on You Tube. It really captures the scenery and the experience, and shows just how bad a skier I really am. Enjoy.

While Mapping Motorcycle Roads I Found the Andrews Geyser

I was passing through Old Fort, North Carolina the other day hoping to find a road I might have missed on one of my motorcycle mapping trips, when I came across the man-made Andrews Geyser. The wading pond was frozen, the spout encased in heavy ice, and the grass surrounding the pool was a huge sheet of bumpy rhyme.

Photo - Andrews Geyser encased in ice near Old Fort, NC

Andrews Geyser encased in ice near Old Fort, NC

The Geyser was built in 1880 as a tourist attraction and to commemorate those whole lost their lives building the railroad that climbed from Old fort to Swannanoa, then on to Asheville. Until that time, Old Fort was as far west as the railroad went. The 3 mile climb through the mountains required more than 12 miles of serpentine track and seven tunnels. More details at  (http://www.romanticasheville.com/old_fort.htm)

My explorations take me to the most unusual and scenic locations as I search out the best roads for my motorcycle maps. I’d passed the sign that directs you to the Geyser on the west end of town many times, but never ventured out to see it as the paved road does not make it all the way through the mountains. It’s a nice ride, but it doesn’t lead you anywhere else so it’s not on my motorcycle map of the area. Still, you won’t miss the signs.

If you’re passing through Old Fort on your way to reach those great two lane mountain roads nearby and have a little extra time, you might want to ride out and see the 80 ft. high plume. I got there late on the day when the temperatures never went much above freezing. Next time I visit, I hope it will be a little warmer.


Wayne Busch - AMERICA RIDES MAPS

Wayne Busch – AMERICA RIDES MAPS

Dogwood Winter Strikes

A glance out the window the other day was rewarded with the sight of the buds on the dogwoods starting to swell and burst open. Soon, the mountainsides will be spotted with the white blooms of the wild trees while the remainder of the flora is just hinting at the first of the green rush to come. Right on time, at least according to natures calendar which does not fit in neat little boxes, dogwood winter has arrived. While most are well acquainted with “Indian summer”, that last burst of warmth that precedes fall, dogwood winter is the springtime mountain counterpart.

Just as the days start to warm and for the first time the mercury climbs to the 70’s in the heat of a nice day, dogwood winter signals a last spasm of the fading grip of winters fingers on the landscape. Right around Easter, along comes one last burst of cold often accompanied by snow. Sunny and in the 70’s one day, then a coat of white on the ground, one last reminder that winter does not go easily into slumbering retirement.

Dogwood winter is typically a mild event. It can also be a wicked slap to the fresh face of spring with it’s new blooms and emerging growth. Last year saw a couple inches of snow on Easter Sunday. The plastic eggs missed by children who ruined their Sunday shoes in the wet surprise were opened weeks later by the lawnmower or spotted still hiding amongst leaves in the garden. At it’s worst, dogwood winter can bring an ice storm which snaps the branches off the pear, apple, and cherry trees laden with blooms and foil the early plantings of the farmers with a freeze.

This rite of passage has come, a signal from nature that it’s calendar progresses according to it’s own whim. The fluffy flakes of today will be gone tomorrow and we can now move into spring with this behind us.

PS – good riddance. Time to ride.

Wayne@americaridesmaps.com

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