How's Parkway Looking?

[godzulla]

Bringin a gang down April 3rd. Can't find any real good data on google about actual conditions for cyclist. I know there is a boatload of snow there right now and alot o parkway is closed.

From you locals experience how does riding over Richland and Waterock on April 3rd - look. Grim? Maybe? No Way?

Just planning routes ahead of time.

Thanks in advance

[andyp]

I rode up there today out of Balsam Gap. The road towards Asheville was snow covered right from the gate and towards Waterrock Knob I found the road covered in snow about 2 miles up just past the first overlook on the left. Hopefully by April the road will be clear but it may be a day to day thing with snow at the highest elevations. This year has been a tough winter for this area. Generally though, by April the riding is fine on all roads unless a late season storm causes problems.

[Scott Baker]

Anybody been on the BRP since the warm-up this week? I am planning to ride to Waterrrock or until snow on Friday afternoon.

[dobovedo]

Feb 17, 2011 22:31:28 GMT -5 Scott Baker said:

Anybody been on the BRP since the warm-up this week? I am planning to ride to Waterrrock or until snow on Friday afternoon.

I was just wondering the same thing. Let me know your plans. I may just have to call in "sick" tomorrow. Slim chance I can actually get away with it.

[Scott Baker]

I plan to depart from Webster around 12:30 to ride up to Waterrock. I called the Balsam Gap Ranger's office and got no answer and the main HQ is clueless. I guess I/we will find out soon enough.

[dobovedo]

BRP Update: On Saturday I rode from Sylva to my place in Bent Creek. I rode the Parkway from Balsam to Bent Creek Gap, and then took the BC forest service road the rest of the way down.

From Balsam up to Richland-Balsam Overlook, there is debris in quite a few places from small rockslides, chunks of fallen ice and tree branches, but nothing you can't ride around pretty easily.

I got up to Licklog Gap (~5000'), about 8 miles from Balsam, before running into some sections of snow/ice on the north facing roads, so you can go up pretty far and get some good climbing in. From there I hike-a-biked through three sections of about 200, 400 and 1000 feet in length. Easy enough to do. On the other side of R-B, I hit five more snowy sections of varying lengths, one about a quarter mile long. On that one, the snow was drifted as deep as 6-8 inches, so quite a bit of melting will be needed and it is staying quite chilly up there.

After I got past Graveyard Field (MM419) there were still some areas with a little bit of snow, but not across the whole road so I could ride through. I just had to keep my speed in check, especially as daylight turned to dusk.

There would have been a lot more hiking involved, but some areas have been actually been plowed by the forest service.

By the way, I was riding a Tricross with 32C tires, so I wasn't too concerned about riding over/around/through debris. Road bikes with skinny tires will need to use a lot more caution.

Spring ain't here yet, but it won't be long!

[Scott Baker]

Thanks for the update. I rode to Waterrock and it is clear all the way up, or at least until MM 449 where I turned due to getting into the clouds and wet. There is zero snow up to MM 449 which is ~5300', so I would guess the rest of the way up is fine since it is southern facing except for one small patch right before MM 450.

[dobovedo]

Feb 20, 2011 22:43:50 GMT -5 Scott Baker said:

Thanks for the update. I rode to Waterrock and it is clear all the way up, or at least until MM 449 where I turned due to getting into the clouds and wet. There is zero snow up to MM 449 which is ~5300', so I would guess the rest of the way up is fine since is is southern facing except for one small patch right before MM 450.

One of these days I'll learn those MMs.

[andyp]

I rode up to the parking area at Waterrock Knob today, Feb. 23. The road was in great shape all the way up but watch for rockfall and tree debris on the way back down.

Andy

[mvi]

No ice in the tunnels anymore on the norh -Cherokee - side 2/26/11. Road still closed for cars.