Hurricane Helene – Blue Ridge Mountain Life https://blueridgemountainlife.com Your guide to life in the Blue Ridge Mountains Mon, 25 Nov 2024 23:44:28 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://blueridgemountainlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/cropped-BRML-Logo-Square-e1513355163864.jpg Hurricane Helene – Blue Ridge Mountain Life https://blueridgemountainlife.com 32 32 Holiday Shopping to Support Western North Carolina https://blueridgemountainlife.com/holiday-shopping-western-north-carolina/ Tue, 19 Nov 2024 18:55:26 +0000 https://blueridgemountainlife.com/?p=1522839 One of the easiest and best ways to continue to support Western NC is to visit, stay, and shop at local businesses. Many businesses were significantly affected by Hurricane Helene in late September of 2024. Many businesses were unable to open or unable to attract customers during the peak fall season. Some are still not able […]

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One of the easiest and best ways to continue to support Western NC is to visit, stay, and shop at local businesses.

Many businesses were significantly affected by Hurricane Helene in late September of 2024. Many businesses were unable to open or unable to attract customers during the peak fall season. Some are still not able to open.

BUT a fantastic way to support Western NC is to shop online at local Western North Carolina businesses.

With some help from the wonderful members in our Facebook Group this guide will share many Western North Carolina businesses that are taking online orders, including gift cards.

Our list is organized by North Carolina towns and in alphabetical order. The listings have the name of the business, a brief summary of items they sell, and a link to their website.

** shows towns that were significantly affected by the Hurricane and flooding

If you own a business that is taking online orders, or know of a business, please reach out to us and let us know! We'll get it added!

Cover photo/featured image from Pure Ritual in Marshall NC - They lost their studio and home.

Table of Contents
Arden
Asheville**
Bakersville
Banner Elk**
Bat Cave**
Black Mountain**
Boone**
Brevard
Bryson City
Burnsville**
Candler
Canton**
Cashiers
Clyde**
Dillsboro
Fletcher
Hendersonville**
Lake Lure**
Lansing
Maggie Valley
Marshall**
Newland
Old Fort
Rosman
Sparta
Waynesville 
Weaverville
Shops not associated with a town or in multiple locations

Updated: 11/21/2024 - Many new listings!

Arden

Asheville**

Bakersville

Banner Elk**

Bat Cave**

Black Mountain**

Boone**

Brevard

Bryson City

Burnsville**

Candler

Canton**

Cashiers

Clyde**

Dillsboro

Fletcher

Hendersonville**

Lake Lure**

Lansing

Maggie Valley

Marshall**

Newland

Old Fort

Rosman

Sparta

Waynesville 

Weaverville

Shops not associated with a town or in multiple locations

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]]> Hurricane Helene North Carolina Mountains – What is open https://blueridgemountainlife.com/hurricane-helene-north-carolina-mountains/ Fri, 04 Oct 2024 18:40:11 +0000 https://blueridgemountainlife.com/?page_id=1522469 On the morning of 9/27/2024, the mountains were already soaked with a storm that had settled in. Then Helene arrived. It quickly blew through Florida, Georgia and stalled over western NC. All said and done, over 20" of rain poured down on these mountains. Creeks breached their banks, homes flooded, and some areas were nearly completely […]

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On the morning of 9/27/2024, the mountains were already soaked with a storm that had settled in. Then Helene arrived. It quickly blew through Florida, Georgia and stalled over western NC. All said and done, over 20" of rain poured down on these mountains.

Creeks breached their banks, homes flooded, and some areas were nearly completely wiped out. People lost their lives, homes were destroyed, businesses were wiped out, and people became and continue to be stranded.

We were fortunate. Our home towns of Waynesville and Maggie Valley NC were hit pretty hard, but fortunately, by the grace of God, we weren't.

In this article, which we will keep updated, will provide a summary, from a local's perspective, of the impact to the Blue Ridge Mountains, in particular Western North Carolina. 

Updated: 11/20/2024 - Pisgah National Forest and Dupont State Forest Reopenings and partial re-openings of Lake Lure NC

Table of Contents
Are the North Carolina Mountains Open?
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
The Blue Ridge Parkway
National Forests and State Parks
Road Status
Should you visit?

Are the North Carolina Mountains Open?

Downtown Waynesville NC as the sunsets over the distant mountains - Best Hiking Trails near Waynesville NC

Yes, and no. But the North Carolina mountains are definitely trending toward being open more than they are closed. Considerable progress has been made over the past few weeks!

Everyone wants to paint a wide brush across the mountains saying everything was affected, but that just isn't true. Some areas are nearly gone, while other areas were barely touched.

Areas open and welcoming visitors include:

Towns NOT currently welcoming visitors include: Bat Cave, Chimney Rock, Hot Springs, Marshall, Swannanoa

Things to be aware of, especially in Western NC:

  • Some roads may be closed - Use DriveNC to see what is open and closed.
  • Debris and remains of fallen trees may be along roadsides. So be careful.
  • Some areas of towns may be closed - Some areas of the towns above may still be closed due to flooding and damage. This includes areas and individual businesses.
  • Avoid travelling in areas outside of these - Many towns are still trying to get their infrastructure in place. Please avoid areas not inviting visitors yet so they can focus on taking care of resident's needs and getting back on their feet.
Chimney Rock NC

Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Great Smoky Mountains National Park Helene Update

The park received minor damage on the TN side, and has re-opened all trails and roads on the TN side. Newfound Gap road (Highway 441) from Cherokee to Gatlinburg is open.

The North Carolina side is of the park is mostly still closed, although the Oconaluftee Visitor Center is open as of 10/3. Trails on the NC side and most roads into the park are still closed. This includes Cataloochee Valley and Big Creek. Deep Creek near Bryson City is open.

The Blue Ridge Parkway

Fall Colors on the Blue Ridge Parkway

The Blue Ridge Parkway was fully closed immediately after Hurricane Helene went through Western NC. This was because of significant road washouts, mudslides, and fallen trees.    

New sections of the Blue Ridge Parkway are re-opening almost weekly! Current sections of the Blue Ridge Parkway that are now open include:

  • Virginia sections from MP0 in Afton VA to MP217.3 just inside the NC line are now open. This extends the open section from Fancy Gap NC into NC.
  • In North Carolina:
    • Boone to Grandfather Mountain - Bamboo Gap (MP285.5) in NC to Beacon Heights (MP305) in NC. This opens up the parkway from Blowing Rock to just below Grandfather Mountain, including Linn Cove Viaduct and Rough Ridge.
    • Asheville Corridor - MP382.5, at US 70 near the Folk Art Center, to milepost 393.6, at NC Route 191 near the NC Arboretum, including the French Broad Overlook at milepost 393.8.  The Asheville Visitor Center, at milepost 384, will now resume year-round operations daily from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Folk Art Center operations, at milepost 382, are scheduled to resume on Saturday, November 9. Trails in this section of the Parkway are also open but extreme caution is advised for trail users who may experience hazards resulting from landslides, downed or leaning trees, washouts, and other damage.
    • MP405.5 to MP421, from NC Highway 276 to Black Balsam is now open. This includes Graveyard Fields. Campgrounds, picnic areas, and other visitor services in this newly opened section of the park are closed for the 2024 season. The area north of milepost 405.5 remains closed for all uses due to a significant landslide at milepost 401.6.
    • MP423.2 to 469, from NC Highway 215 to Highway 441 in Cherokee is open. This includes Waterrock Knob and the visitor center there.
    • Heintooga Spur Road (Balsam Mountain Road) to the Masonic Marker is also now open. The road past there, in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, remains closed.

Here are some photos of the damage from the National Park Service:

National Forests and State Parks

Due to Hurricane Helene, all parts west of I-77 were closed in early October.   In recent days, the parks have started to re-open as crews have been able to get in assess damage and provide necessary clean up.

In general, the parks are open, but some have limitations.   Also, be very careful when hiking, as debris remains, and trees may continue to fall.

Here is a current list of parks in an open or partially open status as of 10/31/2024:

  • Pisgah National Forest - Partially Open - The Ranger and Grandfather Districts are OPEN. This includes Looking Glass Falls, Moore Cove Falls, many other waterfalls and hiking trails.
  • Nantahala National Forest - Partial reopening as of 10/11/2024 - This includes Dry Falls, Callasuja Falls, and Bridal Veil Falls.
  • Grandfather Mountain - OPEN
  • Grandfather Mountain State Park - OPEN
  • Gorges State Park - OPEN - Backcounty remains closed.
  • Dupont State Forest - OPEN with most trails now open as well.
  • Panthertown Valley - OPEN

NC National Forests and State Parks that remain closed:

Many more are closed as well. A full list is available here.

Road Status

I-40 Westbound Helene Damage

I-40 washed out in the TN Gorge.

The amount of roads closed is far too much for us to list here, and the status of those roads is changing daily. Remember, though, roads are only open in Western North Carolina to local and emergency assistance traffic. Visitors are asked to not visit Western NC.

To see NC road closures, visit DriveNC.

Major road closures are:

  • I-40 Westbound past Statesville NC. I-40 is open to Exit 20 at Maggie Valley, but only to local and assistance traffic. I-40 is significantly washed out in the gorge.  A partial re-opening is expected by the first of the year (2025).
  • I-26 in Erwin TN (North of Asheville) is open to both north and sound bound traffic. However, access is reduced to one lane in both directions at the bridge where the washout occurred. No wide loads are allowed.

Should you visit?

For the areas above that are open, YES! In fact, please make an effort to visit and support local businesses that are suffering during the peaks season.

For all other areas, please do not visit, and allow the areas still hurting to recover.

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]]> Hurricane Helene Assistance – How to help https://blueridgemountainlife.com/hurricane-helene-assistance/ Sun, 29 Sep 2024 23:15:18 +0000 https://blueridgemountainlife.com/?page_id=1522424 This past Friday morning 9/27/2024, Tropical Storm Helene dumped over 20" of rain in some areas. The massive amounts of rain in such a short time period caused many creeks, rivers, and lakes to overflow. This caused massive flooding and destruction in many areas of the North Carolina Mountains. The storm was not selective, affecting most […]

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This past Friday morning 9/27/2024, Tropical Storm Helene dumped over 20" of rain in some areas. The massive amounts of rain in such a short time period caused many creeks, rivers, and lakes to overflow. This caused massive flooding and destruction in many areas of the North Carolina Mountains.

The storm was not selective, affecting most cities and towns throughout Western NC, Georgia and southwest Virginia.

10s of thousands were without power, cell phone service was disrupted and many people were stranded. While nothing like many of our neighbors, we were affected as well as we are in Haywood county near Maggie Valley and Waynesville, NC.

We want to help and we know you do as well from all the inquires we've received in our Facebook Groups (Blue Ridge Mountain Life and Maggie Valley and Waynesville Life).

This page will tell you how you can help.

Updated: 10/31/2024 - We are no longer accepting donations to our funds, and all money has been used to purchase supplies or donated to assist those affected by the flooding. Additional options for donating have been added to our list.

Table of Contents
How to help victims of Hurricane Helene
Financial Donations
Our Helene Assistance Fund
10/11/2024
Feeding people
Chainsaws for soldiers
Much needed supplies
10/8/2024
10/1/2024
Thank you!

How to help victims of Hurricane Helene

Over the past few days, workers have made an amazing amount of progress on communications, power, gas, food, and necessary supplies. How much progress is really dependent on the location.

Some locations here in Western NC had very little impact from the store, some moderate impact, and some areas are literally devastated. You can learn more about the Hurricane and its impact on Western NC in our Hurricane Helene article.

Help can be provided in a number of ways:

  • Financial Donations
  • Donating Supplies - Supply donations are no longer being accepted in most areas.
  • Donating your time.

Financial Donations

There are many ways to donate financially and assisting flooding victims in Western NC. We have a fund for our local area of Haywood County, which includes Waynesville, Maggie Valley, Canton and surrounding areas. You can learn more about our fund below.

Of course, larger organizations are collecting money and local churches. Here is a credible list of places you can donate besides our assistance fund:

There are many others as well, depending on where and how you would like your donations to be handled.

Our Helene Assistance Fund

UPDATE: 10/28/2024 - We are no longer accepting donations to our fund. All the money donated has been used to purchase supplies, feed affected families, and to help clean and rebuild homes. Thank you SO much for generosity. Words can just not convey our thanks enough. If you wish to donate, please do so using the links above.

Our Helene assistance fund is currently directly funds into the Haywood County community, including Maggie Valley, Waynesville and Canton North Carolina.

Initial funds were used to help support feeding the community through Ben's Backdraft BBQ. However, there was little interest initially from storm victims for hot meals. The focus has been moved to feeding first responders and linemen.

This week we learned of other food trucks providing free meals, and donated funds to assist with providing meals, details below!

Currently, our funds are primarily being used to purchase needed supplies for local distribution centers in Haywood County. We are looking to work with other areas in need and will have updates soon on that.

10/11/2024

We were busy this week travelling around to the various supply/donation centers, seeing what were their immediate needs, then heading out to get what was needed. We additionally assisted the supply centers with loading and unloading and organizing supplies.

Feeding people

Many food trucks are providing free meals to flooding victims. We gave a donation to Dina's Tacos here in Waynesville, NC, to help them provide food in Clyde NC on Saturday 10/12. We also donated to 6 Pigs BBQ who are travelling around to different affected areas and serving free hot meals as well.

Chainsaws for soldiers

While in Lowes picking on some supplies, we ran into 3 US Army Soldiers buying chainsaws. After talking with them, we learned they were buying them out of their own pockets to assist a family that was trapped in their home due to fallen trees. They said they were wearing out the chainsaws, helping cut trees. We used your donated funds to buy them 3 new chainsaws, chain oil, and fuel. They told us to say thank you.

Much needed supplies

Your donations continue to help provide much needed supplies to those affected by the hurricane and are helping to feed people as well. Many have lost their homes, had damage to their homes, or are impacted due to not being able to work. As a result, they are financially strapped, and your donations are making a significant difference! Thank you.

Here are some photos of some of the items we purchased this week and were distributed to supply centers in Canton NC, Waynesville NC, and Maggie Valley NC.

10/8/2024

This week and last week were spent traveling around to the different supply stations, including Maggie Valley, Waynesville, Canton and Crusco NC. Jenn and I would talk to the staff, determine what was most needed, and go get it, using funds you generously donated.

We have literally spent every day this week doing that, and will continue to do so. The folks at Lowes, Walmart, and Ingles have come to know us well and have been incredibly helpful.

Using your funds this past week, we have purchased: Baby supplies, cleaning products and supplies, dehumidifiers, laundry detergent, dishwashing detergent, paper plates, plastic utensils, paper towels, toilet paper, and much more.

These are all products that the supply centers were running low on, or were completely out of.

We will continue to be good stewards of your donated funds, and direct them directly into the community. These photos are shared so you can see we what we are doing with YOUR money.

10/1/2024

This week we have purchased and delivered cleaning supplies, laundry detergent, dish detergent, water, and pet food. We will be talking to the supply centers daily to determine their needs and purchase supplies. See photos above.

We continue to work with local organizations on their financial needs, and will allocate funds locally as appropriate to provide direct assistance to people in need.

Please know that the funds will go directly to assisting flood victims and quickly. 

ALL funds will go directly to helping flood victims. You have our word on this.

Thank you!

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