Cherohala Skyway Collapse

[Zanotti]

Part of the Cherohala Skyway collapses:

http://www.grahamstar.com/articles/2...0449359649.txt

Z

[joe a]

..... Looks like quite a bit of DOT work to fix that.

[It'sNotTheBike]

Originally Posted by joe a

..... Looks like quite a bit of DOT work to fix that.

Probably at least 205 MILLION DOLLARS ...

[Zanotti]

Originally Posted by It'sNotTheBike

Probably at least 205 MILLION DOLLARS ...

Nice

[KeithinSC]

Well, I hope they have an Evel Knievel ramp set up this summer.

Remember how long it took to get 129 fixed down by the lake?

[viverrid]

Originally Posted by KeithinSC

Remember how long it took to get 129 fixed down by the lake?

Why the fook are the car's reverse lights going on as it runs up on the rocks? Cuz it stops faster in reverse?

[dmftoy1]

Wow that sucks, one of my favorite cruising roads

[Bill Harris]

I heard about Newfound Gap on Hwy 411 this morning http://news.yahoo.com/snow-coming-sm...tQ8TIA5CnQtDMD

But not about Cherohala Skyway. There has been a lot of rain and several slides recently.

--Bill

[Clayburn]

Does anyone know if the dirt route over the mountain is passable?

[Cogswell]

Originally Posted by Clayburn

Does anyone know if the dirt route over the mountain is passable?

N.C. 81 is typically closed (gated) during winter months. F.Y.I.


Mike

[STUFF2C]

Joe Brown Highway goes into Murphy NC off 68 south of Tellico Plains. Easy ride for a steet bike too.

http://www.tennesseeoverhill.com/unicoitrail/trailguide.asp

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&oe=UTF8&msa=0&msid=216952177487001290461.000484c14fea4d13b845c

[M Singer]

Originally Posted by Cogswell

N.C. 81 is typically closed (gated) during winter months. F.Y.I.


Mike

It was closed last summer too the few times I checked

[gmk999]

Originally Posted by Zanotti

Part of the Cherohala Skyway collapses:

http://www.grahamstar.com/articles/2...0449359649.txt

Z

Looks like the road will need to be moved. I don't see a way to stabilize that slope.

[yellow 1150GS]

There is an alternate dirt route between Robbinsville NC and Tellico Plains TN. There is an intersection right at the bottom of the Skyway on the North Carolina side where you can turn right to go to Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest that has a dirt road immediately to the left called Santeelah Creek Road that continues up the mountain and crosses under the Cherohala Skyway at Stratton Meadows. As it drops off to the south of the Skyway it becomes North River Road and comes out on River Road along the Tellico River. Turn right and you will come out on the Cherohala Skyway leading into Tellico Plains. I don't know the condition of the road since the heavy rains, but it might be kind of rough in places. My wife and I usually ride the Cherohala Skyway one way and take Santeelah Creek/North River road going the other way. The paved way is 50 miles, and the dirt way is 30 miles.

[Barnone]

Originally Posted by yellow 1150GS

There is an alternate dirt route between Robbinsville NC and Tellico Plains TN. There is an intersection right at the bottom of the Skyway on the North Carolina side where you can turn right to go to Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest that has a dirt road immediately to the left called Santeelah Creek Road that continues up the mountain and crosses under the Cherohala Skyway at Stratton Meadows. As it drops off to the south of the Skyway it becomes North River Road and comes out on River Road along the Tellico River. Turn right and you will come out on the Cherohala Skyway leading into Tellico Plains. I don't know the condition of the road since the heavy rains, but it might be kind of rough in places. My wife and I usually ride the Cherohala Skyway one way and take Santeelah Creek/North River road going the other way. The paved way is 50 miles, and the dirt way is 30 miles.

yellow,
Like you say, take Forest Service Road 81 as shown on the map above to get to Tellico Plains on gravel assuming it is ok. It will be getting a lot of traffic while the Cherohala is down.
Too bad the washout is west of Stratton Meadow since traffic could get back on the Skyway if it was east of Stratton Meadow. Traffic from Tellico can take River Road and get on the Skyway at Stratton and go to R'ville.

We had planned to run FSR81 to Tellico Plains on the upcoming 2nd Annual Sidecars in the Smokies April 25 – 28 http://www.sovietsteeds.com/forums/v...hp?f=3&t=26129